The closure of Lincoln College, a predominantly Black institution in Illinois, is "just another ransomware milestone," reports Governing. The college said that after the pandemic led to an enrollment drop, a ransomware attack last December stopped its recruitment, retention and fund-raising. Founded in 1865 and named for Abraham Lincoln, the college survived the 1918 influenza pandemic, several recessions and two world wars, the New York Times reports.
The odds have been daunting for those hit by a major ransomware attack. Last year, Atlas VPN reported that 31 percent of U.S. companies closed down after falling victim to ransomware. Inc. magazine reported that 75 percent of small- or medium-size businesses would be forced to close if hit by a major ransomware attack. This Lincoln College demise adds to the growing number of ransomware casualties over the past few years. From the Colonial Pipeline incident last year to the long list of global ransomware attacks targeted against companies and governments, the breadth and depth of challenges continues to grow in 2022.