Government Sector Hit Hard By Ransomware Attacks According to New Report

ExtraHop recently released its global ransomware trends report, a data-driven analysis of ransomware impacts across geographies, industries, and organizations of different sizes.

According to the research, security leaders report that they are increasingly being targeted by ransomware actors, averaging nearly eight incidents per year and paying out an average of just under $2.5 million in ransom payments. And while ransomware activity is up across the board, some businesses find themselves to be a more likely target, depending on different demographics, such as the markets in which they operate or size of their organizations.

The U.S. is feeling the heat.

U.S. organizations felt the impact of ransomware the most, experiencing the highest number of incidents on average and paying out the largest ransoms (nearly $2 million more than the global average). German respondents, on the other hand, experienced the fewest incidents.

Governments are paying big ransoms.

Despite stating ransomware isn’t its biggest risk, the government sector averaged more than eight attacks last year and had one of the largest average ransom payments of $3.8 million. The government sector also noted the largest percentage of organizations paying more than $25 million in ransom payments.

Bigger isn’t always better.

The larger the company, the more likely it was to experience a ransomware incident. Organizations with more than 5,000 employees were more likely to pay the ransom every time and, on average, paid more than $4 million in ransom payments.

“Ransomware is targeting some organizations more than others, but despite this notion, everyone needs to be prepared to curtail exposure to the risks and damage posed by an incident,” said Mark Bowling, Chief Information Security and Risk Officer at ExtraHop. “As ransomware continues to find ways to bypass and evade existing security controls, we can anticipate that these statistics will only grow more dire. Amid high-profile political elections and a growing call for regulatory action across the globe, it is time that the cybersecurity industry comes together to develop and adopt a more resilient security framework that can identify a ransomware attack before it devastates entire organizations, industries, and even economies.”

Featured

  • Windsor Port Authority Strengthens U.S.-Canada Border Waterway Safety, Security

    Windsor Port Authority, one of just 17 national ports created by the 1999 Canada Marine Act, has enhanced waterway safety and security across its jurisdiction on the U.S.-Canada border with state-of-the-art cameras from Axis Communications. These cameras, combined with radar solutions from Accipiter Radar Technologies Inc., provide the port with the visibility needed to prevent collisions, better detect illegal activity, and save lives along the river. Read Now

  • Survey: 84 Percent of Healthcare Organizations Spotted Cyberattack in Last 12 Months

    Netwrix, a vendor specializing in cybersecurity solutions focused on data and identity threats, surveyed 1,309 IT and security professionals globally and recently released findings for the healthcare sector based on the data collected. It reveals that 84% of organizations in the healthcare sector spotted a cyberattack on their infrastructure within the last 12 months. Phishing was the most common type of incident experienced on premises, similar to other industries. Read Now

  • Keynote Speakers Announced for ISC West 2025

    ISC West, hosted in collaboration with premier sponsor the Security Industry Association (SIA), unveiled its 2025 Keynote Series. Featuring a powerhouse lineup of experts in cybersecurity, retail security, and leadership, each keynote will offer invaluable insights into the challenges and opportunities transforming the field of security. Read Now

    • Industry Events
    • ISC West
  • Study: Video Doorbells Have a 71% Service Attach Rate

    Parks Associates recently announced a new white paper, Consumer IoT Product Development: Managing Costs, Optimizing Revenues, which provides companies with a business-planning blueprint to evaluate how a consumer IoT solution will perform across its lifetime. Subscription services, such as video storage and professional monitoring, can be critical for covering ongoing cloud and support costs Read Now

Featured Cybersecurity

Webinars

New Products

  • HD2055 Modular Barricade

    Delta Scientific’s electric HD2055 modular shallow foundation barricade is tested to ASTM M50/P1 with negative penetration from the vehicle upon impact. With a shallow foundation of only 24 inches, the HD2055 can be installed without worrying about buried power lines and other below grade obstructions. The modular make-up of the barrier also allows you to cover wider roadways by adding additional modules to the system. The HD2055 boasts an Emergency Fast Operation of 1.5 seconds giving the guard ample time to deploy under a high threat situation. 3

  • Unified VMS

    AxxonSoft introduces version 2.0 of the Axxon One VMS. The new release features integrations with various physical security systems, making Axxon One a unified VMS. Other enhancements include new AI video analytics and intelligent search functions, hardened cybersecurity, usability and performance improvements, and expanded cloud capabilities 3

  • Luma x20

    Luma x20

    Snap One has announced its popular Luma x20 family of surveillance products now offers even greater security and privacy for home and business owners across the globe by giving them full control over integrators’ system access to view live and recorded video. According to Snap One Product Manager Derek Webb, the new “customer handoff” feature provides enhanced user control after initial installation, allowing the owners to have total privacy while also making it easy to reinstate integrator access when maintenance or assistance is required. This new feature is now available to all Luma x20 users globally. “The Luma x20 family of surveillance solutions provides excellent image and audio capture, and with the new customer handoff feature, it now offers absolute privacy for camera feeds and recordings,” Webb said. “With notifications and integrator access controlled through the powerful OvrC remote system management platform, it’s easy for integrators to give their clients full control of their footage and then to get temporary access from the client for any troubleshooting needs.” 3