Ethical Hacking News
Almost half of those infected by ransomware still pay out to attackers, despite growing awareness and measures being taken to prevent such incidents, according to a recent survey conducted by Sophos. This trend highlights the ongoing threat of ransomware to businesses and individuals alike.
49% of ransomware victims pay ransoms on their stolen data, with median ransom payment falling by 50% since 2024. Companies are becoming more successful at minimizing the impact of ransomware attacks, but still fall victim through bad practices like exploiting known vulnerabilities and not using backups. Direct Send in Microsoft 365 Exchange Online is being abused to send phishing emails, making it easier for attackers to trick victims into revealing sensitive information. Ransomware attacks are increasing supply chain threats as attackers target third-party organizations due to a lack of awareness about dependencies and vulnerabilities. Cybersecurity experts urge businesses and individuals to take proactive measures to protect themselves from ransomware, including implementing robust security measures and staying informed about emerging threats.
Ransomware has become a major concern for businesses and individuals alike, with nearly half of those infected by the malware still paying out to the attackers. According to a recent survey conducted by Sophos, 49% of ransomware victims paid ransoms on their stolen data, with the median ransom payment falling by 50% since 2024.
This trend is concerning, as it suggests that companies are becoming more successful at minimizing the impact of ransomware attacks. However, the study also found that organizations still fall victim to ransomware through well-known bad practices, such as exploiting known vulnerabilities and failing to use backups to restore data.
The survey also highlighted the issue of Direct Send, a feature in Microsoft 365 Exchange Online that allows devices like printers and copiers to email documents without authenticating. Attackers are abusing this feature to send phishing emails, making it easier for them to trick victims into revealing sensitive information.
Another example of the growing threat of ransomware is the case of Brother International, which has been affected by a series of authentication bypass vulnerabilities in its multifunction printers (MFPs). These vulnerabilities allow an attacker to steal the default administrator password from MFPs based on the device serial number.
Furthermore, cryptocurrency hardware wallet maker Trezor has warned of phishing scams targeting its customers that appear as legitimate support replies but are anything but. Savvy scammers have figured out how to abuse Trezor's contact form to send phishing emails, and users are advised not to share their wallet backup codes with anyone.
The rise of ransomware has also led to an increase in supply chain attacks, where attackers target third-party organizations that do not realize they are being targeted. This is often due to a lack of awareness about dependencies and vulnerabilities in the supply chain.
In response to these growing threats, cybersecurity experts are urging businesses and individuals to take proactive measures to protect themselves from ransomware attacks. This includes implementing robust security measures, such as backups and regular software updates, and staying informed about emerging threats and vulnerabilities.
Ultimately, the ongoing threat of ransomware requires a concerted effort from governments, businesses, and individuals to stay ahead of these malicious actors. By taking proactive steps to protect ourselves and our organizations, we can reduce the impact of ransomware attacks and minimize their devastating effects.
Related Information:
https://www.ethicalhackingnews.com/articles/Ransomware-The-Ongoing-Threat-to-Businesses-and-Individuals-ehn.shtml
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2025/06/30/information_security_in_brief/
Published: Sun Jun 29 22:05:14 2025 by llama3.2 3B Q4_K_M
