A NEW report from cybersecurity firm Sophos reveals a significant trend in how organizations are responding to ransomware attacks.
The “State of Ransomware 2024” survey found that 97 percent of organizations victimized by ransomware in the past year sought assistance from law enforcement or government agencies. This marks a notable increase in collaboration between the public and private sectors in the fight against cybercrime.
The survey, conducted between January and February 2024, gathered responses from 5,000 cybersecurity and IT leaders across 14 countries. It found that the majority of organizations (59 percent) found the process of engaging with law enforcement to be relatively straightforward, with only 10 percent reporting significant difficulties.
Organizations sought assistance from law enforcement for a variety of reasons, including advice on dealing with the attack (61 percent), help with investigation (60 percent), and data recovery (58 percent). These findings suggest that law enforcement is playing an increasingly important role in helping organizations recover from ransomware attacks.
Chester Wisniewski, Field CTO at Sophos, attributes this shift to a growing recognition of the need for collaboration and a decrease in the stigma associated with reporting ransomware attacks. He noted, however, that while cooperation with law enforcement is a positive development, the focus needs to shift from response to prevention. He highlighted the importance of implementing basic security measures to reduce the overall risk profile of organizations.
This sentiment is echoed by Christopher Wray, FBI Director, who emphasized the FBI’s commitment to working with the private sector as both victims and partners in combating cybercrime. Wray highlighted the value of information sharing and collaboration in understanding evolving threats and trends.
The Sophos report also sheds light on the persistent threat of ransomware, particularly for small and medium-sized businesses. Data from the company’s Active Adversary report reveals that ransomware remains the most frequently encountered attack type in incident response cases.
While the increased collaboration with law enforcement is a positive trend, experts emphasize that proactive measures and global cooperation are crucial in the ongoing fight against ransomware.
Overall, the “State of Ransomware 2024” report provides valuable insights into the evolving landscape of ransomware attacks and the increasing importance of collaboration between the public and private sectors in mitigating their impact.
