Ransomware groups are focusing more than ever on utilities, with the sector facing a 42% surge in attacks over the past year, according to ReliaQuest.
In its latest report, Uncovering Critical Cyber Threats to Utilities, published on December 10, the US cybersecurity firm shared findings of cyber threats to the utilities sector between November 1, 2023, and October 31, 2024.
The report shows that the rise in ransomware is due to cybercriminals setting their eyes on companies that have to deal with a blend of IT and operational technology (OT) systems.
In dark web forums, initial access brokers (IABs), ransomware operators and other cybercriminals increasingly talk about compromising industrial systems.
These conversations include detecting exposed Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems or selling zero-day vulnerability exploit access to Internet-of-Things (IoT) system that controls OT devices using industrial control protocols.
The report mentioned that Play, currently one of the largest ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) cartels, was particularly interested in targeting utilities.
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