Ransomware attacks against government agencies on the rise

Ransomware gangs continue to target government entities despite fewer overall attacks this year, with nine out of 39 confirmed cases involving such targets in April. Qilin ransomware has surged, possibly due to the shutdown of its predecessor, RansomHub, and this rise coincided with an increase in confirmed attacks, including a $2.7 million ransom demand from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, which the agency refused to pay. Other attacks on federal agencies and elsewhere globally also highlight the persistent threat posed by ransomware activity.