WannaCry Gives Consumers a First Look into Ransomware

Although ransomware has been around for two years, it took the fast-moving and expansive WannaCry to provide a majority of consumers their first glimpse, according to a study released today.

Dark Reading Staff, Dark Reading

May 25, 2017

1 Min Read
Dark Reading logo in a gray background | Dark Reading

WannaCry's high-profile rapid spread to 150 countries in a matter of days provided 57% of consumers with their first look into how ransomware works, according to a survey Carbon Black released today.

The survey of 5,000 consumers in the US revealed that 52% would be willing to pay a ransom if their personal computer was hijacked in a ransomware attack. And while 59% of consumers surveyed say they would be willing to pay a ransom if it was less than $100, it turns out that 12% are willing to shell out $500 or more.

WannaCry's attackers demand payments of up to $600 to unlock users' encrypted data. But of the 300,000 computers infected, the ransomware campaign has only raised roughly $137,000 to date, according to Elliptico.co's tracking of Bitcoin payments. That amounts to a per computer payout of 45 cents a hit.

Consumers, it turns out, aren't so understanding if the organizations they do business with get hit with a ransomware attack. In fact, 72% of consumers surveyed are willing to dump their financial institution if it becomes a ransomware victim, while 70% are willing to leave their retailer, the study found. Loyalty to a healthcare provider also goes out the door in a ransomware attack, with 68% of surveyed consumers saying they would drop their provider post ransomware attack.

Read more about Carbon Black's survey here.

About the Author

Dark Reading Staff

Dark Reading

Dark Reading is a leading cybersecurity media site.

Keep up with the latest cybersecurity threats, newly discovered vulnerabilities, data breach information, and emerging trends. Delivered daily or weekly right to your email inbox.

You May Also Like


More Insights