Technology Magazine November 2022 | Page 71

CLOUD AND CYBER

It ’ s been five years since the WannaCry worm made headlines across the globe when , within a matter of days in May 2017 , it had infected hundreds of thousands of computers in well over half the world ’ s nations . Users of infected machines found they were locked out of their data and would have to meet a ransomware demand of US $ 300 if they wanted to regain access . Some paid , some didn ’ t . Those who met the demand didn ’ t necessarily get their data back , though , it was later revealed . Cyber criminals are not compelled to actually deliver what they promise , it appears , and global industries discovered this the hard way .

Today , cyber attacks continue to present an ongoing , ever-changing threat to businesses across all sectors , says Mark Atwood , Global Research and Advisory leader with Gartner . He points to research from NCC Group ’ s Annual Threat Monitor report , which indicated ransomware attacks almost doubled in 2021 , rising 92.7 % on the previous year .
“ Ransomware attacks and other types of cyberthreats can have , and have had , crippling effects on supply chains ,” says Atwood . “ But , as important and ubiquitous as this topic is , it is fraught with complexity and confusion .”

WARE

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