Critical Infrastructure Under Siege: 42% Spike in Ransomware Attacks on Utilities

ReliaQuest analysis covering Nov 2023–Oct 2024 shows attacks on utilities surged 42%, with spear phishing responsible for 81% of alerts and ransomware listings rising (75 utilities on leak sites); LockBit, Play, ALPHV/BlackCat, Akira, and 8base were prominent, and causes cited include unpatched IIoT and growth in RaaS—recommendations include automated incident response, stronger email security, and employee phishing awareness.