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Ransomware: Which businesses are most affected and why?

Service industry most often targeted
Posted at 5:26 AM, May 15, 2017
and last updated 2017-05-15 08:26:43-04

Ransomware can make you want to cry. A malicious program called WannaCry has affected approximately 200,000 PC systems of individual consumers and organizations alike in 150 countries since Friday.

A report by Symantec concludes that almost every industrial sector has been affected by ransomware in recent years. However, some types of companies are more vulnerable or more often targeted by cyber criminals trying to extort money for data than others. 

As the infographic by Statista below shows, the service sector was by far most affected by ransomware in 2016. "One possible explanation is that organizations with a higher level of integration with different internet services tend to have a higher exposure to infection risks," the Symantec experts conclude.

Other data by Datto shows that, according to managed service providers (MPS), most often it's human carelessness that makes these attacks possible. Opening the wrong email can get you or your company in to severe trouble.

Infographic: Ransomware: Who's Affected & Why | Statista You will find more statistics at Statista