2020 Ransomware Statistics

If you ask a cybersecurity professional what threat keeps them up at night, the majority of them will tell you it’s ransomware. If you’re unsure of what ransomware is, it’s a type of a type of malicious software designed to block access to a computer system until a sum of money is paid. It has been a problem for years. But it peaked during the current pandemic.

This increasing threat takes down organizations of every size every day. And it’s only getting worse. Here are ten of the most important 2020 statistics to take into account as you consider how your organization plans to prevent ransomware from taking your data hostage.

Here Are the 2020 Statistics Regarding Ransomware

1. 65% of ransomware infections are delivered via phishing. We’ve blogged a good bit about phishing, including specifically about how to spot a phishing attack, and about how cyber-criminals are using COVID-19 in their scams.

2. It is estimated that a ransomware attack will take place every 11 seconds by 2021.

3. 85% of ransomware attacks target Windows systems. And while education and government systems are ranked highest as targets, there is an increase in attacks on small to mid-sized businesses.

4. By some estimate, the average cost of a ransomware attack in 2019 was $133,000. Last year it was reported that the cost to small businesses averaged $200,000. And it put many out of business. Therefore, it’s hard to imagine most locally-owned business being able to survive such an attack.

5, 50% of in-house IT professionals don’t believe that their organization is ready to defend against a ransomware attack. Instead, they rely on outsourced IT firms, such as Rent-A-Nerd, Inc. to provide this level of protection.

6. Hackers currently attack every 39 seconds or an average of 2,244 times a day. They are working around the clock to attack your business. Therefore, you need twenty-four hour protection.

7. Between January 1st and June 30th, 2020, ID Ransomware received 100,001 submissions relating to attacks that targeted companies and public sector organizations.

8. 90 % of IT pros had clients that suffered ransomware attacks in the past year. In contrast, none of our clients with Enhanced Cybersecurity suffered an attack.

9. Ransomware costs will reach $20 billion by 2021.

10. 51% of businesses were impacted by ransomware in the last year. And as a result, 26% of the victims paid at least something to get their data back.

How Is Your Data Protected?

One important statistic to note is the first one on the list – 65% of these attacks are delivered via phishing. That’s why phishing is the biggest cybersecurity threat of 2020. This means business owners must make phishing resistance training a cybersecurity essential. Our Enhanced Cybersecurity package offers this and more. We’re here to help. Give us a call at 504-301-1094 or click here.

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