FBI Report Lists Critical Infrastructures Leading as Ransomware Attack Targets

The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center has released a report showing that health care and public health institutions, manufacturing establishments and government facilities were the top three ransomware attack targets in 2023. 

The ranking was based on the 1,193 incident reports that the IC3 received from U.S.-designated critical infrastructures, with metrics like financial losses also considered. Out of the total complaints received, 249 came from the health care sector, 218 from manufacturing and 156 from government facilities.

The report also noted that out of the 16 critical infrastructure sectors, 14 of them “had at least one member that fell to a ransomware attack in 2023.”

According to the IC3, the top perpetrators of the ransomware attacks were the LockBit, ALPHV/BlackCat, Akira, Royal and Black Basta groups, Defense One reported Thursday.

ALPHV recently claimed credit for the attack on Change Healthcare’s drug prescriptions and was reportedly able to take a $22 million ransom, Defense One also noted.   

In February, a senior FBI official disclosed that the agency and the U.K.’s National Crime Agency have seized Lockbit ransomware group servers as part of ongoing efforts against cyberattacks.