Q1 Ransomware Stats That Should Alarm Every Business

Posted: June 1, 2016 to Cybersecurity.

Tags: Ransomware, Malware, Data Breach

Infoblox DNS Threat Index (a leading indicator of worldwide malicious Domain Name System threats) reported in Q1 2016 an increased threat of almost 10% over the previous quarter, resulting in an all-time high of 137. This is largely due to a 3500% increase in ransomware domains recorded in Q1 2016.  Cybercriminals and hackers use these domains to for nefarious activities that range from data exfiltration to malware and phishing.

Infoblox reports that this massive increase in ransomware also means that ransomware now accounts for 60% of all malware. This is because cybercriminals are now targeting businesses, as opposed to individuals. "What has changed over the past quarter or two is a shift from small-dollar heists targeting consumers to larger, more profitable attacks on commercial entities. And as news of this success has spread, certainly through underground networks and ironically through general media coverage of the danger, cybercriminals have apparently taken notice."

The FBI reported that, in Q1 2016 alone, ransomware cost their victims a total of almost $210M. That's a 10-fold increase from all of 2015, with a total cost of approximately $25M. The most common of these threats is known as "Locky." 

Infoblox DNS Threat Index is known to be an accurate indicator of future threats. Do not wait until it is too late to protect yourself and your company from these very real threats.

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