Biggest ransomware attacks and payments worldwide H1 2021
The most remarkable cyber incident during the examined period was the Colonial Pipeline attack. The attack caused significant disruptions in the pipeline's digital system, taking it down for several days. It is believed to be the largest in the history of the United States and was recognized as a national security threat. Following this attack, U.S. President Joe Biden declared a state of emergency. The hacker group demanded a ransom payment of 75 bitcoin (4.4 million U.S. dollars). Although Colonial Pipeline paid the ransom, a month later, in June 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice partially recovered it, returning 63.7 bitcoin (2.3 million U.S. dollars) from the attackers.