Cybersecurity
France Says Ransomware Attacks on Big Companies Are on the Rise
- French law enforcement says companies must declare attacks
- Line between criminal, state-backed attacks isn’t clear
Coaxial cables connect to a computer server unit inside a communications room at an office.
Photographer: Chris Ratcliffe/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Large companies in France are increasingly the targets of cyber attackers who lock up data and demand a ransom, but often refrain from reporting the assaults for fear of hurting their image, according to the French Interior ministry.
Attackers changed strategy in the second half of 2018, ditching smaller companies to go after big corporations, sometimes strategic or vital to the nation’s economy, the ministry said on Tuesday in its 2019 cyber threats report. The trend accelerated this year.