Researchers have seen a %3,500 increase in ransomware attacks recently. This is no surprise, as there have been a few developments to help spur the growth:
Exposure
It works! There have been a few stories in the news recently where enterprises have given in to ransom demands to get parts of their network back.
Payment Methods
Bitcoin cannot be traced to a particular bank (where the transactions can be reversed) so the attackers now have a convenient method of payment.
Work From Home!
I don’t think Romanian or Chinese hackers are terribly worried about the repercussions of ransoming a hospital in California.
Like always, make sure you have off-site backups and your security infrastructure is in place.