Ransomware remains a looming threat to both private and government agencies, and now that the US Departments of Justice and Homeland Security have released the numbers of the virus’ many victims last year the numbers back it up as well. Just in 2015 the Internet Crime Complaint Center reported almost 2,500 cases and over $24 million in ransoms paid to cyber criminals. In cases dating back to 2005 that number has been as much as $57.6 million; that number should be alarming for several reasons, but primarily because it shows the dramatic increase in Ransomware attacks over the last year.

These reports are only in concerns to the private sector, however, and the DHS admits that more attacks have affected government agencies, with over 300 attacks targeting almost 30 separate agencies. The DHS claims that all attacks were dealt with quickly individual security teams. The problem is that this does not much help the private sector, and the DHS acknowledges that far too many businesses are forced into paying the ransom as a last resort. Homeland Security continues to urge non-government agencies, such as hospitals, healthcare and insurance sectors, to take particularly cautious measures because these industries have proven to be the most vulnerable and as a result are heavily targeted.

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