Europol 's new report on online organized crime ( Internet Organized Crime Threat Assessment 2020 ) states that many victims of ransomware attacks do not report the attacks to the police , making it difficult to estimate the total number of attacks and identify gangs.
The report details the main forms of cybercrime that pose a threat to businesses. According to the data, ransomware continues to be one of the biggest concerns for security experts , as ransomware gangs are increasingly attacking and using increasingly sophisticated techniques.
In most cases, ransomware gangs don't just encrypt victims' networks. They steal data and threaten to expose it online to pressure and increase the chances of receiving the ransom.
However, while ransomware is one of the most well-known threats, Europol says that many organizations that are attacked do not notify the police or other relevant authorities.
Many law enforcement agencies across Europe say they learn about ransomware attacks from local media.
According to the Europol report, contacting the police to initiate a formal investigation is not a “priority” for victims, who are more interested in getting their systems back up and running so they can continue their business and limit the damage to their reputation. Some may believe that contacting the police could cause more damage to their reputation.
According to Europol, this is why many victims turn to “private security companies” to investigate ransomware attacks or negotiate ransom payments.
Victim companies prefer to target individuals to avoid attracting attention. In addition, police and relevant authorities advise victims not to pay the ransom, but many companies may choose to do so in order to recover their data more quickly. This tactic is not good, as it reinforces the behavior of hackers and there is also no guarantee that criminals will keep their word.
However, police warn that not reporting ransomware attacks causes many problems.
“By using private companies, victims do not file a formal complaint, which increases the lack of knowledge and awareness about the real facts of ransomware attacks,” the Europol document states.
Failure to report attacks to the police undermines any efforts to address the threat, as important information and evidence are lost.
The report emphasizes that investigating each ransomware attack helps authorities build a better picture of this threat and prevent future attacks.
For example, Europol’s “ No More Ransom ” portal provides free decryption keys for various ransomware. The keys are provided by cybersecurity companies as well as law enforcement agencies that have managed to break the encryption after conducting an investigation. If victims do not report ransomware attacks, these efforts cannot be scaled up to protect organizations.
