It looks like ransomware is nowhere near slowing down.
According to Kaspersky Lab’s Q1 threat report, ransomware attacks have increased by 30 per cent from the previous quarter. This includes a 14 per cent increase in “ransomware malware modifications” or novel variations of the malware.
Furthermore, of the ransomware attacks, 17 per cent targeted the corporate sector, while those targeting mobile devices have increased by 40 per cent from the previous quarter.
The top three ransomware families in this quarter, according to Kaspersky, include Teslacrypt (58 per cent), CTB-Locker (23 per cent), and Cryptowall (3 per cent), which spread through malicious email attachments or infected web pages.
Meanwhile, a new form, called Petya, was also discovered. Not only does it encrypts data stored on the computer, but it also overwrites a hard disk drive’s master boot record, preventing infected computers from booting into the operating system.
Hackers continue to exploit Adobe Flash Player, Microsoft Office and Java to spread malware.
