2022 & 2021's Most Significant Ransomware Incidents, Threats & Payments

Ransomware attacks have become a significant threat to individuals, businesses, and governments worldwide. These attacks involve hackers encrypting a victim's files and demanding payment in exchange for the decryption key. In this blog, we will look at some of the biggest ransomware attacks that took place in 2022 and 2021, the demands made by the attackers, and the payments made to them.

• Colonial Pipeline Attack:

In May 2021, the Colonial Pipeline was hit by a ransomware attack that resulted in the shutdown of the pipeline, which transports gasoline and other fuel products along the East Coast of the United States. The attackers, who were believed to be a Russian-based criminal group, demanded a ransom of $5 million in exchange for the decryption key. The company decided to pay the ransom, which was the largest payment made to ransomware attackers in history at the time.

• JBS Meatpacking Attack:

In June 2021, JBS, one of the largest meatpacking companies in the world, was hit by a ransomware attack that disrupted its operations globally. The attackers, who were believed to be a Russian-based group, demanded a ransom of $11 million in exchange for the decryption key. The company decided to pay the ransom, which was later confirmed by the White House.

• Merck & Co Attack:

In June 2017, Merck & Co, a pharmaceutical company, was hit by a ransomware attack that disrupted its operations globally. The attackers, who were believed to be the North Korean Lazarus Group, demanded a ransom of $6 million in exchange for the decryption key. The company decided not to pay the ransom, but the attack resulted in a significant loss of data and a disruption of its operations.

• WannaCry Attack:

In May 2017, the WannaCry ransomware attack affected more than 200,000 computers in over 150 countries. The attack was carried out using a piece of malware known as WannaCry, which was stolen from the National Security Agency (NSA). The attackers demanded a ransom of $300 in exchange for the decryption key, which was payable in Bitcoin. The attack resulted in significant losses for affected organizations, including the National Health Service in the United Kingdom.

In conclusion, ransomware attacks have become a significant threat to individuals, businesses, and governments worldwide. While some organizations have decided to pay the ransom to regain access to their encrypted files, others have decided not to pay and have suffered significant losses as a result. The best way to protect against ransomware attacks is to keep software and systems up-to-date, to regularly back up data, and to educate employees on how to identify and avoid malicious emails and links.