TOKYO, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- A total of 123 cases of ransomware attacks were reported in Japan in the first half of this year, hitting the highest level on a half-year basis since the start of existing data in 2020, the National Police Agency (NPA) said Thursday.
Of the reported cases in January-June, 79 targeted small and medium-sized companies, 31 occurred at large corporations, and the remaining 13 targeted other types of organizations, NPA data showed.
Restoration took more than a month in over half of the total cases, while nine cases led to entire business suspensions, according to the NPA.
Meanwhile, the number of access attempts, often conducted in preparation for cyberattacks, went up by more than 4,000 from the same period a year earlier, highlighting the growing severity of cyber threats.
The NPA has compiled half-year statistics on ransomware, in which attackers demand payment in exchange for restoring access to company data made unavailable via encryption, since the second half of 2020. ■
