Ransomware and phishing are usually put in two separate categories when cyberattack methodologies are discussed. However, ransomware operators are increasingly leveraging phishing tactics to deploy their malicious payloads, and the potential for compromise is exponentiating as a result.
Ransomware and Phishing – a match made in heaven
Phishing is the number one delivery vehicle for ransomware, states risk management firm Deloitte. Industry sources agree, and phishing was identified as the primary vehicle for ransomware in Coveware’s Q4 2020 Quarterly Ransomware Report. It beat out RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol) as the top initial attack vector, once the remote work avalanche of 2020 died down, and has since moved up as the fastest way to get malicious code in front of an organization.
In a recent survey, it was revealed that a staggering 78% of organizations experienced one or more ransomware attacks in 2021, 68% of which stated that the attack originated from a direct email payload, second-stage malware delivery, or similar cause. And, IBM’s Cyber Resilient Organization Study noted the top three causes of ransomware that year as social media (19%), malicious…
