Ransom demands have grown substantially over the past year, and cyber criminals continue to take advantage of dislocations in how we work. In 2021, there was a 57% increase in the frequency of attacks against organizations with under 250 employees. The increased automation of cyber attacks, as well as the more widespread use of insecure remote access tools during the pandemic, has left these organizations exposed and created new opportunities for cyber criminals. Nearly 50% of attacks were initiated by phishing and social engineering.
Source: https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2021/08/03/ransom-demands/