Revealed: Cybercrime is a Growing Threat - Which States are the Biggest Targets?
Newly released information from the Federal Bureau of Investigation has revealed, that depending on the state where you live, you could be more susceptible to being targeted by hackers for a cyber attack.
According to a report in the U.K. Daily Mail, TorGuard, a company specializing in online security, examined data from the 2023 FBI Internet Crime Report and identified the states most vulnerable to internet crime.
According to the findings, Alaska was the most unsafe state as far as cyberattacks are concerned. The Last Frontier leads with 319 cyberattacks per 100,000 residents, totaling 2,338 cases and economic losses amounting to roughly $31.77 million.
These losses primarily came through extortion.
In second place was Nevada, with 308 attacks per 100,000 residents, with victims losing a total of $200.99 million in 9,983 cases, primarily due to personal data breaches and identity theft.
Delaware came in third place with 257 recorded attacks per 100,000, costing victims a total of $35.38 million, with personal data breaches and tech support scams being the most prevalent crimes.
In fourth place was Arizona, which experienced 235 cyberattacks per 100,000, with losses of $324.35 million, primarily due to extortion and data breaches.
California, in fifth place, reported 199 attacks per 100,000. The Golden State experienced the highest financial impact at $2.16 billion in losses.
These losses were mostly from data breaches.
Colorado and Washington came in sixth and seventh places and experienced 194 and 186 attacks per 100,000 residents, respectively.
Extortion was, once again, the most common crime.
In eighth place came South Dakota, with 182 attacks per 100,000 residents.
Florida came in ninth place with 179 attacks per 100,000.
The most common cause of these monetary losses was personal data breaches, non-payment/non-delivery scams, and extortion.
And in 10th place was South Carolina with 178 attacks per 100,000. Extortion was the key crime.
For those seeking a silver lining, the safest state to live to avoid possible data crimes was North Dakota.
Cybercrime attacks corporations as well as individuals.
Here are a few examples:
In October, MGM Resorts experienced a significant cybersecurity attack which was anticipated to cost the company over $100 million.
CEO Bill Hornbuckle assured that no critical customer financial information was compromised in the breach itself, although personal details such as names, contact information, and Social Security numbers of certain past customers were stolen.
In August, hospitals and clinics in California, Texas, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Pennsylvania were struck by a severe cyberattack that disrupted their computer systems, leading to the shutdown of some emergency rooms and the diversion of ambulances.
The breach forced many hospitals to revert to manual systems, such as paper records, to manage patient care and monitor equipment.
John Riggi, the American Hospital Association’s national adviser for cybersecurity and risk, highlighted the severity of the disruptions, calling them threat-to-life crimes that endanger not only hospital patients but the wider community that relies on the emergency services hospitals provide.
And in February, Dole Foods experienced significant disruptions in the supply of fruits and vegetables across the U.S. following a cyberattack.
The attack led to a shutdown of the company’s systems throughout North America.
The breach forced the company to resort to manual processes that slowed operations and hindered the loading and processing of orders.
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