FBI: Ransomware Attack Complaints On US Infrastructure Up 9%

The FBI reported an increase of 9% in complaints related to ransomware attacks (photo: x @FBIlukapolis)

JAKARTA The FBI reported a 9% increase in complaints related to ransomware attacks on critical US infrastructure throughout 2024 compared to 2023. This attack is the most common cyber threat in the critical infrastructure sector, covering nearly half of the ransomware complaints received by the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).

The sectors that are most frequently targeted include manufacturing, health services, government facilities, financial services, and information technology. Ransomware, which locks files until ransom is paid, is one of the main threats to 16 sectors that are considered critical, such as energy, transportation, communications, and food production.

Although various international law enforcement operations have been carried out against ransomware perpetrators, the increase in complaints remains the FBI's concern. For example, the ransomware variantbarna has been linked with more than 300 attacks on the critical infrastructure sector between June 2021 and February 2025.

In addition to ransomware, IC3 recorded cyber losses reaching 16.6 billion US dollars (Rp318.2 trillion) in 2024, an increase of 33% compared to 2023. Cryptocurrency-related fraud also soared, with losses reaching 9.3 billion US dollars (Rp17.2 trillion), up 66%. Age groups over 60 are the biggest victims, reporting losses of 4.8 billion US dollars (Rp92 trillion) in 2024.

The FBI continues to remind the importance of awareness of cyber threats, including cryptocurrency-based scams, which have trapped more than 5,400 victims between January 2024 and April 2025.