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Ransomware Victims and Groups Reach Record Highs in 2025

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1 unique sources, 1 articles

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In 2025, ransomware victims listed on extortion sites surged by 30% annually, reaching 7458. The number of active ransomware groups also hit a new high of 124, with 73 new groups identified. AI is lowering the barrier to entry for new threat groups, aiding in social engineering, data analysis, and ransomware negotiations. Despite the increase in victims, ransom payments fell by 35% in 2024, and this trend is likely to have continued in 2025. The ransomware ecosystem remains professionalized and effective, with large syndicates fracturing into smaller, agile cells, making the threat landscape more complex.

Timeline

  1. 18.02.2026 13:30 1 articles · 12h ago

    Record Number of Ransomware Victims and Groups in 2025

    In 2025, ransomware victims listed on extortion sites surged by 30% annually, reaching 7458. The number of active ransomware groups also hit a new high of 124, with 73 new groups identified. AI is playing a significant role in lowering the barrier to entry for new threat groups, aiding in various aspects of ransomware operations.

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Information Snippets

  • Ransomware victims listed on extortion sites increased by 30% annually in 2025, totaling 7458.

    First reported: 18.02.2026 13:30
    1 source, 1 article
    Show sources

  • The number of active ransomware groups reached a new high of 124 in 2025, with 73 new groups identified.

    First reported: 18.02.2026 13:30
    1 source, 1 article
    Show sources

  • AI is lowering the barrier to entry for new threat groups by assisting with social engineering, data analysis, and ransomware negotiations.

    First reported: 18.02.2026 13:30
    1 source, 1 article
    Show sources

  • Ransom payments fell by 35% annually in 2024, despite an increase in reported ransomware events.

    First reported: 18.02.2026 13:30
    1 source, 1 article
    Show sources

  • The ransomware ecosystem is becoming more fragmented, with large syndicates breaking into smaller, agile cells.

    First reported: 18.02.2026 13:30
    1 source, 1 article
    Show sources