Ransomware
Think tank: RUSI
Author(s): Various authors
January 16, 2024
This report from UK think tank RUSI outlines the harms ransomware causes to organisations, individuals, the UK economy, national security and wider society.
The latest report from RUSI’s Cyber Research Group, titled “The Scourge of Ransomware”, outlines the harm ransomware causes to organisations, individuals, the UK economy, national security and wider society.
Drawing on interviews with victims of ransomware attacks as well as industry and law enforcement representatives, the authors outline a novel framework for understanding the different types of ransomware harms.
These include: • First-order harms: Harms to any organisation and their staff directly targeted by a ransomware operation. • Second-order harms: Harms to any organisation or individuals that are indirectly affected by a ransomware incident. • Third-order harms: The cumulative effect of ransomware incidents on wider society, the economy and national security.
