Ransomware attacks are continuously rising. In fact, a Hornetsecurity study revealed that 25% of IT professionals reported their organizations have been a victim of ransomware attacks — and that 15% of those ransomware attacks specifically targeted backups. This alarming statistic shows how prevalent this threat is and just how easily a company can become a victim.
In addition to data being encrypted, successful attacks can also result in stolen information, enabling fraudsters to implement extortion campaigns. As technology advances, ransomware attacks are becoming automated, more sophisticated, and more dangerous overall. The rise of generative AI, most notably ChatGPT, is making it even easier for cybercriminals. The automation abilities of this new technology allow hackers to put less effort into creating better-targeted attacks, which put potential victims at higher risk.