Ransomware attacks leave small business owners feeling suicidal, report says

Small business owners have been left feeling suicidal following ransomware attacks, according to new research that examines how the criminal ecosystem is causing harm beyond simply the money it extorts from victims. The new report from the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) creates a typology of harm for ransomware, including the “significantly overlooked” psychological impact on staff and other people involved in responding to an incident. According to the report, a ransomware attack on a business in the engineering sector caused so much stress for the staff involved that the company hired a post-traumatic stress disorder support team to address the issue.