Ransomware attack volume rose 227 per cent to 33.5 million in the UK in 2021, according to research from Sonic Wall.

The company’s survey looked at data from over 1.1 million security sensors in over 215 countries.

Ransomware attack volume globally rose 105 per cent to 623.3 million in 2021 according to the research, which found that the UK had some of the largest ransomware attack growth of any country.

Ransomware attack volume in the US grew 98 per cent to over 421 million, and grew 3,256 per cent in Germany to around 34 million, the highest increase of any country surveyed.

In Europe, the volume of ransomware attacks grew 175 per cent year-over-year, while in Asia overall attack volumes grew 122 per cent according to the report.

The research found three families of ransomware variants accounted for 62.1 per cent of all ransomware attacks in 2021: Ryuk, SamSam, and Cerber.

Instances of Ryuk attacks, the most common ransomware strain reported, rose 64 per cent year-on-year to just over 180 million, making up roughly 30 per cent of all ransomware attacks reported.

Ransomware was not the only type of cyberattack to increase in prominence, cryptojacking attacks rose by 564 per cent in the UK in 2021.

Cryptojacking referred to a practice where cybercriminals take control of a victim’s PC to mine cryptocurrency.

The news comes after a year in which ransomware had a significant impact on global infrastructure.

In May, an attack on the US Colonial Pipeline caused significant fuel shortages in the eastern and southern parts of the US.

Share Story: