The threat of ransomware has been top of mind for many security vendors and IT organizations throughout 2016. In an attempt to help quantify how different segments of the IT market view ransomware, IBM Security’s X-Force research group conducted a study that received responses from 1,021 consumers and 600 business leaders in the United States. The survey found that although vendors and media have been vocal about the rising prevalence of ransomware the damage it can cause, only 31 percent of consumers surveyed had ever heard of it. But ransomware is a clear and present danger, accounting for nearly 40 percent of spam attachments in 2016, up dramatically from 0.6 percent of spam attachments in 2015. In terms of business impact, 46 percent of business respondents reported they had experienced ransomware in their organizations. Of those 46 percent, 70 percent admitted that their organization paid the ransom. In this slide show, eWEEK takes a look at some of the key highlights of the IBM Security study, “Ransomware: How Consumers and Businesses Value Their Data.”
