KUALA LUMPUR (April 16): Malaysian businesses recorded a sharp rise in ransomware activity last year, with attempts increasing by 153% year on year, according to cybersecurity firm Kaspersky.

Ransomware, as the name suggests, is malicious software designed to block access to a computer system or encrypt its data until a sum of money (a ransom) is paid.

In a statement on Wednesday, the digital privacy company said that there were a total of 12,643 ransomware cases in Malaysia in 2024, representing a jump from the 4,982 incidents recorded in 2023.

In March, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim revealed that the digital system of Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd was attacked by hackers demanding a ransom payment of US$10 million (RM44.39 million).

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