Though the basic tools of ransomware remain the same, attackers are using global uncertainty as cover to evolve techniques that make extortion attempts more e ective. In a “double extortion” attack, for example, bad actors both block the organization’s access to data and threaten to release or sell that data. “Triple extortion” or “quadruple extortion” attacks, which additionally incorporate distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks or threats to third parties, are now also part of the modern risk landscape, according to Alexander Applegate of cybersecurity firm ZeroFox.
Meanwhile, attempted attacks have also grown so prevalent as to be virtually guaranteed. According to a 2022 Sophos survey, 66% of companies experienced a ransomware attack in the last year, nearly double the 2020 figure. A 2022 report by Enterprise Strategy Group (ESG) put the figure at 79% of organizations a ected in the last year.