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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Technology
Dan Milmo Global technology editor

Global ransomware payments plunge by a third amid crackdown

An illustration of grey binary code and a padlock imposed on top in white
In ransomware attacks, criminals access their victims’ IT systems, steal data and lock up files by encrypting them. Illustration: Christophe Gowans/Guardian Design

Ransomware payments fell by more than a third last year to $813m (£650m) as victims refused to pay cybercriminals and law enforcement cracked down on gangs, figures reveal.

The decline in such cyber-attacks – where access to a computer or its data is blocked and money is then demanded to release it – came despite a number of high-profile cases in 2024, with victims including NHS trusts in the UK and the US doughnut firm Krispy Kreme.

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