There is a 57% increase in the number of ransomware attacks in Japan in 2022 compared to the previous year, local police said, The Asahi Shimbun reported on February 6.
According to data released by the National Police Agency on February 2, there were 230 ransomware attacks in 2022. This is 84 more than a year earlier. This statistic began in 2020. Then, in the period from July to December, 21 cases were registered. In 2021, 146 cases were reported.
Police are warning businesses and government agencies to be vigilant and take precautions. Ransomware attacks can target hospitals, universities, large and small businesses. As a result of such attacks, attackers encrypt victims’ data and demand payment for its decryption.
The newspaper notes that in many cases, criminals infiltrate systems through a virtual private network (VPN), which provides a secure network connection, or through Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP), a system that allows a user to connect to another computer remotely. Police urge organizations to update their operating systems and VPN hardware to prevent hackers from exploiting vulnerabilities.
Let’s face it, in 2022, companies in the automotive industry fell victim to ransomware attacks. These include Denso Corp., an affiliated supplier to Toyota Motor Corp., and Kojima Industries Corp. — a Toyota partner.
A cyber attack on the Osaka General Medical Center in October 2022 disrupted its medical records system and healthcare accounting software. This led to the cancellation of outpatient appointments and non-urgent surgeries.
In the last five years, the number of unauthorized access attempts with attempts to find vulnerabilities in systems has increased fourfold.
Source: Rossa Primavera
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