Ransomware attacks on local authorities have quadrupled over the last year, new research reveals.
The IT security company Barracuda analysed 106 highly publicised ransomware attacks from the past 12 months and has identified the five industries targeted the most.
They found that 12% of the attacks were against local authorities. Education (15%), healthcare (12%), infrastructure (8%), and financial (6%) made up the other four industries.
A ransomware attack is a malware that is designed to stop an organisation accessing its own files. The hackers then demand a ransom for giving the organisation access again.