Half of US Citizens Have Never Heard of Ransomware

Cybereason today released the results of its first consumer ransomware survey. In 2016, nearly 10 percent of consumers fell victim to a ransomware attack. The average ransom paid by victims to regain access to their files was $500. And 52 percent of survey respondents haven’t heard of ransomware.

Ransomware has been around for more than a decade, but became an epidemic in 2016. The FBI estimates that consumers and businesses paid $1 billion in ransoms last year. Consumers, mom and pop businesses, hospitals, law enforcement agencies, state and local governments, law offices and municipal rail systems were all victimized.

Interesting Ransomware Survey Findings 

• Cybereason asked consumers what types of personal information they fear losing the most. Ranking first at 52 percent was credit card/social security numbers. Second at 31 percent was photos/videos. Third at 10 percent was tax/medical documents, followed by emails at 5 percent and art work at 2 percent.

• If victimized by a ransomware attack, 41 percent of consumers said they wouldn’t pay the ransom because they didn’t think their files would be released upon payment. Sixteen percent of respondents wouldn’t pay because they thought the ransom was too expensive and 15 percent of respondents wouldn’t pay the ransom because they didn’t care if they lost their files.

“Not a day went by in 2016 without individual hackers or crime groups successfully launching ransomware attacks, and it’s safe to say that more of these attacks will occur in 2017,” said Uri Sternfeld, senior security researcher, Cybereason. "The increased frequency of ransomware attacks makes it imperative for consumers and businesses to fortify their defenses. Without appropriate file backup and ransomware protection, people risk losing data like pictures, documents, financial reports and academic work.”

For more information, contact: 
Bill Keeler 
Director, Public Relations 
bill.keeler(at)cybereason(dot)com 
(508) 414-7755 (cell) 
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/cybereason