5 MOST TARGETED INDUSTRIES The data we collected allowed us to determine, which were the main targeted sectors by “double-extortion” ransomware threats during the past year. + Manufacturing is the most targeted industry with over 30% of the total targeted industries. + The top six industries constitute 70% of the total targeted industries: manufacturing, financial services, transportation, technology, retail and government & defense. 346 130 86 75 69 59 53 51 49 48 35 32 25 25 16 11 1 1 Our analysis uncovered that the most targeted sector was the manufacturing sector, with 346 of the total victims, constituting 31% of the total targeted industries. As can be seen in the graph above, the manufacturing sector is followed by financial services (12%), transportation (8%), technology (7%), retail (6%) and government & defense (5%). Together, these top six targeted industries constitute almost 70% of the total targeted industries. Our analysis corresponds with other public reports addressing this topic. In July 2020, it was reported that the manufacturing sector paid 62% of the total ransomware payments in the course of 2019, amounting to US$6.9 million 20 . Furthermore, in September 2020, researchers found that the manufacturing sector took the hardest blow by ransomware attacks, accounting for a quarter of the total ransomware attacks they responded to 21 , and another research claimed ransomware attacks on the manufacturing sector increased sevenfold between January 2020 and April 2020 22 . Targeted industries by number of victims Manufacturing Financial Services Transportation Technology Retail Government and Defense Energy Media Legal and Human Resources Healthcare Education Others Pharmaceuticals and Chemicals Hospitality-Leisure NPO Agriculture Emergency Services Wholesale https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/manufacturing-ransomware-payments/ https://securityintelligence.com/posts/ransomware-2020-attack-trends-new-techniques-affecting-organizations-worldwide/ https://www.techrepublic.com/article/top-5-business-sectors-targeted-by-ransomware/ 22. 20. 21. Number of victims by industry and % of total 70% of victims 22 | The Ransomware Landscape