The average paid ransom was $12.7 million
Ransomware attacks exposed the sensitive information of tens of millions of Americans in 2024.
There were 610 confirmed ransomware attacks that compromised 166,426,225 records in the U.S. in 2024, according to data provided to ConsumerAffairs by cyberecurity researchers Comparitech.
Ransomware is when criminals plant malicious software in a network to lock an organization out of valuable information and then demand payment to regain access underthreatofpublishingthe data.
Companies paid around $127 million to ransomware criminals in 2024, an average of $12.7 million for each attack.
By records, the industries with that suffered the most from ransomware attacks in 2024 were in healthcare, followed by finance, technology, utilities and food and beverage.
The ransomware gang named "Play" carried out the most confirmedattacks with 49, followed byfollowed by "LockBit" with 40, "Medusa" with 37, "BlackSuit" with 33and "INC" with 33.
Change Healthcare suffered the biggest ransomware attack by far in 2024 with around 100 million records exposed. It paid $22 million to the criminals, Comparitech said.
What were the 10 biggest ransomware attacks by records in 2024?
1. Change Healthcare
- Records:100,000,000
- Industry: Healthcare
- Month:February
- Ransompaid:Yes
- Ransom amount:$22,000,000
2. Loan Depot
- Records:16,924,071
- Industry: Finance
- Month:No
- Ransompaid:No
- Ransom amount:Unknown
3. Evolve Bank & Trust
- Records:7,640,112
- Industry: Finance
- Month:May
- Ransompaid:No
- Ransom amount:Unknown
4. Ascension
- Records:5,599,699
- Industry: Healthcare
- Month:May
- Ransompaid:Unknown
- Ransom amount:Unknown
5.Financial Business and Consumer Solutions
- Records:4,253,394
- Industry: Finance
- Month:February
- Ransompaid:Unknown
- Ransom amount:Unknown
6. Acadian Ambulance
- Records:2,896,985
- Industry: Healthcare
- Month:June
- Ransompaid:No
- Ransom amount:$7,000,000
7.Prudential Insurance
- Records:2,556,210
- Industry: Finance
- Month:February
- Ransompaid:Unknown
- Ransom amount:Unknown
8. Rite Aid
- Records:2,200,000
- Industry:Retail
- Month:June
- Ransompaid:Unknown
- Ransom amount:Unknown
9.Summit Pathology and Summit Pathology Laboratories
- Records:1,813,538
- Industry: Healthcare
- Month:April
- Ransompaid:Unknown
- Ransom amount:Unknown
10. OnePoint Patient Care
- Records:1,741,152
- Industry:Healthcare
- Month:August
- Ransompaid:Unknown
- Ransom amount:Unknown
Photo Credit: Consumer Affairs News Department Images
Posted: 2025-01-16 16:28:46