The rise in ransomware attacks have forced security leaders to reconsider how to protect their organizations. The joint Ransomware Index Report has identified 12 vulnerabilities newly associated with ransomware in Q1 2023.

In Q1 2023, 12 new vulnerabilities have become associated with ransomware. Seventy-three percent of these vulnerabilities were trending on the internet and the deep and dark web in the past quarter. With this increase, 7,444 products and 121 vendors are now vulnerable to ransomware attacks, of which Microsoft leads the pack with 135 ransomware-associated vulnerabilities.

The complete MITRE ATT&CK kill chain is present in 59 vulnerabilities; two vulnerabilities are brand new. Vulnerabilities with a MITRE ATT&CK kill chain allow attackers to exploit them from end-to-end (initial access to exfiltration). Popular scanners do not detect 18 vulnerabilities associated with ransomware, exposing enterprises to significant risks.

Open-source vulnerabilities have increased, with 119 ransomware-associated vulnerabilities now present in multiple vendors and products. Two APT groups have newly begun using ransomware as a weapon of choice, including DEV-0569 and Karakurt, bringing the overall number of APT groups capitalizing on ransomware to 52.