What This Report Covers
This edition covers the first quarter of 2023. The report finds that the Play group’s attacks rose 147% compared with the previous quarter, and that attacks on business, professional and legal services rose 89%.
Key Findings of the Ransomware Trends Report Q1 2023
The report examines 592 ransomware victims published by 26 groups in the first quarter of 2023 and compares them with the two quarters before.
- LockBit was the most active group in Q1 2023 with 163 incidents.
- LockBit's attacks fell 26.58% against Q4 2022, while Cl0p grew 800% and became the second most active group.
- Play was among the groups with the highest rise in activity, up 147% on the previous quarter.
- Business, professional and legal services was the most targeted sector with 153 incidents.
- The United States was the most targeted country, followed by the United Kingdom.
- Attacks on business, professional and legal services rose 88.79% in Q1 2023, after a 13.71% fall in Q4 2022.
The full PDF adds the groups' attack patterns by sector, company-size breakdowns, the CVEs most used by ransomware groups and a section on why digital risk protection matters.
The CL0P group had the highest rise in activity, up 800%, while LockBit is described as the most active in attacks overall, likely because of its advanced techniques and targeting of many industries. Royal is shown focusing on Food and Agriculture, and Clop on IT.
The report closes on a point it repeats across editions: weak cybersecurity hygiene raises a company’s ransomware risk. For a basic definition, read the ransomware glossary entry.
It is the first edition of 2023 and gives the starting point for the quarterly series that follows, so readers can follow how group activity and sector targeting shifted through the year.
Security professionals often struggle to keep up with evolving ransomware trends due to the constant barrage of information. We aim to help you filter this overload, present the 2023 Ransomware Trends in an understandable format, and convert this information into meaningful insights.
Exploring Ransomware Trends in Q1 of 2023: Our Comprehensive Analysis
Q1 2023 Ransomware Trends: Key Insights
- Play Ransomware group’s attacks rose by 147% in the first quarter of 2023 when compared to the previous quarter.
- Attacks on business, professional and legal services rose by 89% in the first quarter of 2023.
- During the first quarter of 2023, the CL0P group had the highest attack activity, which increased by 800%.
- Specific industries, like Royal Group in Food & Agriculture and Clop Group in IT, are targeted by hackers.
- Lockbit is the most active in attacks, likely due to its advanced techniques and targeting of multiple industries.
Poor cybersecurity hygiene significantly elevates a company’s ransomware risk, emphasizing the crucial role of robust security practices.