Cyber-attacks are on the rise in Switzerland with 94 ransomware incidents reported in the first half of the year, according to the Sunday weekly Le Matin Dimanche.
This content was published on
2 minutes
swissinfo.ch/ds
The source of that figure is the network supporting investigations against digital crime (NEDIK), but the president of this network believes the problem is much larger.
Serdar Günal Rütsche told Le Matin Dimanche that the number of cases needs to be multiplied by 20 to get a realistic figure. That would add up to almost 2,000 ransomware attacks in Switzerland this year.
In October, the Beobachter magazine estimated that 2,700 Swiss firms had fallen victim over the past year. That compares with 4,800 attacks over the past five years as a whole.
While Swiss authorities strongly advise against paying hackers, 30% to 50% of hacked companies pay the requested ransom to recover their data, according to Mathias Fuchs of Zug-based Infoguard told Le Matin Dimanche.
The phenomenon of cyber-attacks began in late 2019. This year saw several high-profile companies and institutions confronting ransom demands from cyber criminals. Experts say the vast majority of such cases are not flagged to the authorities.
The coronavirus pandemic has coincided with a surge of different kinds of cyber-crime in Switzerland.
In September the government said it was planning to boost defences against cyber-attacks. This involves the creation of a command centre comprising 575 members of the armed forces who will be trained to protect state data, as well as critical infrastructure and private companies active in fields like telecoms or transport.
This content was published on
Nemo brought the Eurovision Song Contest to Switzerland with his victory on Saturday evening in Malmö, Sweden. It is Switzerland's third victory in the history of the music contest.
Switzerland abstains from vote on Palestinian bid for full UN membership
This content was published on
On Friday, Switzerland abstained from the vote at the General Assembly on granting the Palestinians new rights at the United Nations (UN).
Protein in abdominal fat could help shape obesity treatment
This content was published on
The study analysed fat cells from different locations in the body, and found that those in the abdomen have unique properties.
North African asylum claims fall after rapid Swiss processing
This content was published on
The accelerated procedure, now out of its test phase, has resulted in a significant drop in applications from North African countries.
This content was published on
The artist's song "The Code" focuses on their journey as a nonbinary individual. It is one of the favourites to win this year's contest.
This content was published on
Switzerland’s MCH Group is the latest heavyweight company to be hit by hackers as a rash of attacks spreads across the Alpine nation.
More Swiss firms facing cyber-attacks and ransom demands
This content was published on
Ransomware attacks by hackers continue to increase sharply, with some 2,700 Swiss firms falling victim over the past year, Beobachter magazine says.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.