Recently, a report by security provider, eScan, has managed to give out some interesting details related to ransomware attacks. The report lists Maharashtra (India) as the top location to be hit by the highest number of ransomware attacks in the world.
Moreover, the report illustrated that out of the 29 states in India, Maharashtra is attacked more than 50 percent of the time. This requires serious attention by cybersecurity industry in India, particularly in Maharashtra, to bolster their IT security systems. Furthermore, the report found out that out of all the known ransomware attacks in June 2018, one-fifth of them were directed towards India.
Earlier this year, WannaCry Ransomware was able to hit Maharashtra’s public institutions, especially their police department. Institutions in Maharashtra without updated software and OS were hit in particular, as the ransomware took advantage of their weak security measures.
Reasoning behind the Pattern
The report also gave reasons about the cybercriminals’ intent to attack India. In 2016, Indian government called for demonetization. Demonetization is a process in which the current currency notes are made unusable and have to be replaced by the authorities in exchange of new currencies. Indians were unable to secure themselves against ransomware and other types of viruses after this event.
Another reason given by ransomware removal experts in the report is the use of smart phones with Internet connectivity. India boasts the second highest population in the world and Indian Government and industries have been aggressively marketing a “Digital India” where users can easily purchase smart phones and use the Internet by making it incredibly cheaper in India.
These users are often not aware of the ransomware tricks employed by the cybercriminals and thus easily fall into the traps of ransomware campaigns.
Tips to Help
The report concluded with a few tips to users all around the world, especially those from India, that can protect them and remove ransomware. Firstly, users were advised to update their operating system.
Secondly, emphasis on anti-virus and anti-ransomware tools was given as these tools can help to remove ransomware before a ransomware starts its malicious operations. Lastly, it was recommended to update smart phones regularly and back up data in case of any mishap.
