The SamSam ransomware has reportedly collected over US$5.9mil (RM23.9mil) in payout so far, says security software firm Sophos. First reported in late 2015, the ransomware is known for targeting medium to large public sector organisations in healthcare, education and government. However, the recent study states that this only makes up 50% of the total number of identified victims, and the rest, it claims, comprises “a private sector that has remained uncharacteristically quiet about the attacks”. The research SamSam: The (Almost) Six Million Dollar Ransomware, states that 74% of the known victims are based in the United States, while other regions known to have suffered attacks include Canada, Britain, and the Middle East. While there are no Malaysia-specific statistics in the study, reported cases closest to our region occurred in India (1%) and Australia (2%).
ORIGINAL SOURCE: The Star
