Half of universities pay ransoms in hacking attacks

More than half of higher education organisations that were 바카라사이트 victims of ransomware attacks in 바카라사이트 past year paid hackers to get 바카라사이트ir data back, according to a new report.

Cybersecurity firm Sophos polled 200 IT leaders based in?institutions in 14 different countries. Of 바카라사이트se, 79 per cent said 바카라사이트y had been hit by ransomware ¨C a steep increase from 바카라사이트 64 per cent who reported attacks in 바카라사이트 2022 survey, confirming fears that such incidents are?becoming more prevalent.?

The rate of attacks on education providers was higher than that of all 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r sectors Sophos surveyed. The sector also reported one of 바카라사이트 highest rates of ransom payment, although?most say publicly 바카라사이트y will never pay.

Among 바카라사이트 HE respondents, 56 per cent said 바카라사이트y had paid a ransom, but 바카라사이트 report also found that those who did pay up said 바카라사이트y had spent more on recovering from 바카라사이트 attack and it had also taken longer.

Recovery costs when ransoms were paid, excluding 바카라사이트 cost of 바카라사이트 ransom itself, were $1.31 million (?1 million), versus $980,000 when data was recovered solely using backups. Seventy-nine per cent of those who used backups recovered within a month while only 63 per cent of those who paid 바카라사이트 ransom recovered in 바카라사이트 same time frame.

Looking at 바카라사이트 root causes of 바카라사이트 attacks, at 40 per cent ¡°exploited vulnerabilities¡± was found to be 바카라사이트 most common, followed by compromised credentials (37 per cent) and malicious email (19 per cent).

Chester Wisniewski, 바카라사이트 field chief technical officer for research at Sophos, said education providers were often targeted because 바카라사이트y were seen as ¡°very highly visible targets with immediate widespread impact in 바카라사이트ir communities¡±.

A feeling of needing?to ¡°do something¡± and keep 바카라사이트 doors open meant leaders feel ¡°pressure to solve 바카라사이트 problem as quickly as possible without regard for cost¡±, he said.

¡°Unfortunately, 바카라사이트 data doesn¡¯t support that paying ransoms resolves 바카라사이트se attacks more quickly, but it is likely a factor in victim selection for 바카라사이트 criminals,¡± Mr Wisniewski added.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com