What Is Ransomware? Complete 2026 Guide to Protection & Prevention
- Muiz As-Siddeeqi
- 17 hours ago
- 31 min read
Your computer screen suddenly goes black. When it flickers back to life, every file you own is locked. Medical records. Customer data. Family photos. All encrypted. A message appears: pay $2 million in Bitcoin within 72 hours or lose everything forever. This nightmare scenario isn't fiction. In 2025 alone, ransomware attacks hit 63% of organizations worldwide (Sophos, 2025), causing over $5 billion in total damages. A single click on a malicious email attachment can bring entire hospital systems to their knees, shut down gas pipelines, and destroy small businesses overnight. Ransomware has evolved from a nuisance into one of the most profitable and devastating cybercrimes on the planet.
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TL;DR
Ransomware is malware that encrypts files or locks systems until victims pay a ransom, typically in cryptocurrency
Average ransom payment dropped to $1 million in 2025 (down 50% from 2024), but total attack costs average $5.08 million per incident (IBM Security, 2025)
U.S. ransomware attacks increased 50% in the first 10 months of 2025, with 5,010 reported incidents (Cyble, 2025)
Modern ransomware uses double and triple extortion—encrypting files AND threatening to leak stolen data publicly
The first ransomware attack happened in 1989 via infected floppy disks distributed at a WHO AIDS conference
Healthcare, finance, manufacturing, and government sectors face the highest attack rates
Prevention requires offline backups, multi-factor authentication, employee training, and regular security updates
What Is Ransomware?
Ransomware is malicious software that encrypts a victim's files or locks their entire system, making data inaccessible until a ransom is paid. Attackers typically demand payment in cryptocurrency like Bitcoin to provide the decryption key. Modern variants use double extortion tactics, both encrypting files and stealing sensitive data to threaten public release. First documented in 1989, ransomware has evolved into a billion-dollar criminal industry affecting individuals, businesses, and critical infrastructure worldwide.
Table of Contents
Understanding Ransomware: The Basics
Ransomware is a type of malware designed to deny access to a computer system or data until money is paid. Unlike other cyberattacks that steal information silently, ransomware announces itself loudly—often with a countdown timer and specific payment instructions displayed on your screen.
The core mechanism is simple but devastating. Malicious software infiltrates a system, encrypts valuable files using complex cryptographic algorithms, and demands payment for the decryption key. Without this key, the encrypted files remain inaccessible, appearing as gibberish even if you can see them.
What makes ransomware particularly insidious is its psychological warfare component. Attackers create urgency with deadlines—typically 24 to 72 hours—threatening to permanently delete files or increase the ransom if payment doesn't arrive in time. Some variants threaten to publish sensitive data publicly, adding reputational damage to financial loss.
According to the FBI's 2024 Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) Report, ransomware complaints increased 11.7% in 2024, with adjusted losses exceeding $12.4 million (FBI, 2024). But these figures represent only reported incidents—the FBI estimates that 85% of ransomware attacks go unreported (BlackFog, 2025).
The ransom itself is almost always demanded in cryptocurrency, primarily Bitcoin, because it provides anonymity and makes tracing payments extremely difficult. Attackers often provide detailed instructions for purchasing cryptocurrency and transferring it to their wallets, sometimes even offering "customer support" to help victims complete the payment process.
A Brief History: From Floppy Disks to Global Attacks
1989: The AIDS Trojan
The first documented ransomware attack occurred in 1989, long before the internet became widespread. Harvard-educated evolutionary biologist Dr. Joseph Popp distributed 20,000 infected floppy disks to attendees at the World Health Organization's international AIDS conference in Stockholm (Fortinet, 2021).
The disks, labeled "AIDS Information – Introductory Diskettes," contained a program claiming to analyze a person's risk of contracting AIDS. Hidden within was malware that remained dormant until the 90th system reboot. At that point, it hid directories and encrypted file names on the C drive, then displayed a message demanding $189 to be sent to a P.O. box in Panama for a "software lease renewal" (Flashpoint, 2025).
The attack was relatively unsophisticated. The encryption only affected file names, not the files themselves, and security researchers quickly created decryption tools. Dr. Popp was arrested but declared mentally unfit to stand trial. Despite its primitive nature, the AIDS Trojan established the ransomware blueprint that would be refined over the next three decades.
2005-2010: Modern Encryption Emerges
Ransomware remained dormant for nearly 15 years after the AIDS Trojan. It reemerged in 2005 with GPCode and Archiveus, the first variants to use asymmetric encryption. GPCode targeted Windows systems and initially used weak encryption that researchers could crack. However, by 2008, a variant called GPcode.AK employed 1024-bit RSA encryption, making decryption without the private key effectively impossible (Arctic Wolf, 2024).
In 2006, Archievus became the first strain to use advanced 1024-bit RSA encryption (Arctic Wolf, 2024). The technology that once protected sensitive data was now weaponized against it.
2013: CryptoLocker Changes Everything
September 5, 2013 marked a turning point. CryptoLocker appeared, spreading through email attachments and the Gameover ZeuS botnet. It used sophisticated 2048-bit RSA encryption and gave victims just 72 hours to pay $300 in Bitcoin or via prepaid vouchers (Wikipedia, 2026).
CryptoLocker's impact was massive. Researchers at the University of Kent found that 41% of victims chose to pay the ransom—far higher than expected (Wikipedia, 2026). By the time law enforcement shut down the Gameover ZeuS botnet in June 2014 through Operation Tovar, CryptoLocker's operators had extorted approximately $3 million (Wikipedia, 2026). By 2015, the FBI estimated total payments to CryptoLocker reached $27 million (Cybereason, 2025).
2017: WannaCry Goes Global
On May 12, 2017, WannaCry ransomware spread across 150 countries in hours, infecting over 230,000 computers (Flashpoint, 2025). The attack exploited EternalBlue, a Windows vulnerability leaked from the U.S. National Security Agency. Microsoft had released a patch two months earlier, but many organizations hadn't updated their systems.
WannaCry hit hospitals, banks, telecommunications companies, and government agencies. The UK's National Health Service was particularly hard-hit, with operations cancelled and ambulances diverted as computer systems shut down. Total damages reached an estimated $4 billion (Flashpoint, 2025).
A security researcher named Marcus Hutchins discovered a "kill switch" in WannaCry's code—an unregistered domain name that, when activated, stopped the ransomware from spreading further. His quick action prevented billions in additional damages, though the attack still stands as one of history's most destructive cyberattacks.
2017: NotPetya's Destruction
Just weeks after WannaCry, on June 27, 2017, NotPetya struck Ukraine and spread globally. Unlike typical ransomware, NotPetya was a "wiper"—destructive malware disguised as ransomware. It encrypted not just files but also the master boot record, making recovery impossible even with a decryption key (University of Tulsa, 2024).
NotPetya spread through a trojanized update to M.E.Doc accounting software, which Ukrainian businesses were required to use. The U.S., Canadian, and Australian governments attributed the attack to Russia in February 2018 (ransomware.org, 2023). NotPetya demonstrated that ransomware could be weaponized for geopolitical purposes, not just financial gain.
How Ransomware Works: The Technical Breakdown
Understanding ransomware's technical operation reveals why it's so effective and why recovery without backups is nearly impossible.
Encryption Methods
Modern ransomware typically uses hybrid encryption combining symmetric and asymmetric cryptography (Morphisec, 2025). Here's how it works:
Step 1: Initial Key Generation
When ransomware executes, it generates a unique symmetric encryption key (typically 256-bit AES) for each victim. Symmetric encryption is fast and efficient for encrypting large amounts of data.
Step 2: File Encryption
The ransomware scans the system for target file types—documents, spreadsheets, databases, images, videos—and encrypts them using the symmetric key. Modern variants use multithreading to speed up encryption, processing multiple files simultaneously across CPU cores (Morphisec, 2025).
Some sophisticated strains use "intermittent encryption," encrypting only portions of files (typically every 16 bytes) rather than entire files. This reduces encryption time and helps evade detection by minimizing disk I/O operations (Proven Data, 2023).
Step 3: Key Protection
The symmetric key itself is then encrypted using the attacker's public key (typically RSA 2048-bit or higher). This encrypted key is either stored on the victim's system or sent to the attacker's command-and-control server. Only the attacker's private key can decrypt it, making recovery without paying the ransom theoretically impossible (Medium, 2024).
Step 4: Key Deletion
The original unencrypted symmetric key is securely deleted from the victim's system, often by overwriting the memory location with random data multiple times. This prevents forensic recovery.
Common Encryption Algorithms
Ransomware uses several encryption algorithms (Proven Data, 2023):
AES (Advanced Encryption Standard): Fast, secure, used by the U.S. government
RSA (Rivest-Shamir-Adleman): Asymmetric encryption for protecting the symmetric keys
ChaCha20: A stream cipher known for speed and security
Salsa20: Another fast stream cipher resistant to timing attacks
The Infection Process
Ransomware reaches victims through several attack vectors:
Phishing Emails: The most common method. Attackers send emails with malicious attachments or links. The attachment might be a weaponized document (Word, Excel, PDF) that executes malicious code when opened.
Exploited Vulnerabilities: Attackers scan the internet for systems with known security flaws. In 2025, exploited vulnerabilities were responsible for 32% of ransomware attacks, the most common root cause (SOCRadar, 2025).
Compromised Credentials: Stolen usernames and passwords allow attackers direct access to systems. This accounted for 23% of attacks in 2025 (SOCRadar, 2025).
Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP): Poorly secured RDP connections are frequent entry points. Attackers use brute-force attacks or stolen credentials to access systems remotely.
Malicious Websites and Malvertising: Infected websites or malicious advertisements can download ransomware when visited, though this vector is less common today.
Types of Ransomware
Ransomware has evolved into distinct categories, each with unique characteristics and impact levels.
Crypto Ransomware
The most common and dangerous type. Crypto ransomware encrypts files, making them inaccessible without the decryption key. It typically doesn't prevent basic computer functions—you can still use your mouse and keyboard—but all your important files are locked.
Notable examples include CryptoLocker, Ryuk, and WannaCry. These variants often target specific file extensions like .docx, .xlsx, .pdf, .jpg, and database files. Some modern strains encrypt hundreds of different file types.
Locker Ransomware (Screen Lockers)
Locker ransomware locks users out of their entire system rather than encrypting individual files. Victims see only a lock screen with ransom demands and can't access any computer functions except what's needed to pay.
LockBit is one of the most prevalent locker ransomware variants. In 2024, it accounted for 21% of all ransomware attacks, with notable victims including the UK's Royal Mail postal service (BlackFog, 2025).
Locker ransomware is generally less destructive than crypto ransomware because files aren't encrypted. If the system can be unlocked or restored, data loss is minimal.
Scareware
Scareware uses fear and intimidation rather than actual encryption. It displays fake security warnings claiming the system is infected with malware or has been used for illegal activities. Some variants impersonate law enforcement agencies, claiming to be the FBI or police and threatening prosecution unless a "fine" is paid.
While less technically sophisticated, scareware can be highly disruptive, flooding screens with pop-ups or removing functionality until payment is made.
Double Extortion Ransomware (Leakware/Doxware)
Double extortion combines encryption with data theft. Attackers exfiltrate sensitive data before encrypting it, then threaten to publish the stolen information if the ransom isn't paid. This puts enormous pressure on victims, especially those with customer data, trade secrets, or confidential information.
By Q3 2021, approximately 83% of ransomware attacks employed double extortion tactics (Cohesity, 2025). Even organizations with good backups face pressure to pay to prevent data leaks.
REvil and Maze were among the first to popularize double extortion. These groups maintain "leak sites" on the dark web where they publish stolen data from victims who refuse to pay.
Triple Extortion Ransomware
Triple extortion adds a third layer of pressure beyond encryption and data theft. Attackers might:
Launch DDoS attacks to disrupt business operations
Directly contact customers, partners, or employees to notify them of the breach
Report the victim to regulators for compliance violations
Conduct public harassment campaigns
This multi-vector approach maximizes pressure and makes refusing to pay increasingly difficult (Splunk, 2025).
The Ransomware Attack Lifecycle
Ransomware attacks follow a predictable seven-stage lifecycle (TechTarget, 2025):
Stage 1: Target Selection and Reconnaissance
Attackers research potential victims, gathering information about the organization's systems, employees, and security controls. They look for valuable targets that can afford large ransoms and have weak security. Methods include scanning for vulnerabilities, collecting publicly available data, and monitoring social media.
Stage 2: Initial Access and Infection
Using one of the attack vectors described earlier, attackers infiltrate the victim's network and deploy the ransomware payload. The malware may remain dormant initially, allowing attackers time to explore the network undetected.
Stage 3: Command and Control
The ransomware establishes communication with the attacker's command-and-control (C&C) server. This server sends encryption keys, installs additional malware, and facilitates other attack stages. C&C servers are typically hidden on the dark web using Tor for anonymity.
Stage 4: Discovery and Lateral Movement
Attackers explore the network, elevating their privileges and spreading to additional systems. They identify high-value data, locate backup systems (to disable them), and map the network infrastructure. The goal is to maximize the attack's impact before triggering the encryption.
Stage 5: Data Exfiltration and Encryption
In double extortion attacks, sensitive data is stolen and sent to the attacker's servers. Then the encryption process begins, locking files across the network. Modern ransomware terminates database processes, backup services, and security software to prevent interference.
Stage 6: Extortion
The victim discovers they've been attacked when ransom notes appear on their screens. The notes provide payment instructions, deadlines, and threats. Some include "proof of life"—a sample of decrypted files to prove the attackers have the key.
Stage 7: Resolution
The victim either pays the ransom and hopes to receive the decryption key, refuses to pay and attempts recovery from backups, or negotiates with the attackers. In 2025, 63% of victims refused to pay (up from 59% in 2024), while 37% chose to pay (Bright Defense, 2025).
Real-World Case Studies
Case Study 1: Change Healthcare (2024)
Date: February 2024
Victim: Change Healthcare, a major U.S. healthcare technology company
Attacker: ALPHV/BlackCat ransomware group
Impact: Over 100 million individuals affected (later revised to 193 million)
Ransom Paid: $22 million
Change Healthcare processes billions of healthcare transactions annually, including insurance claims and prescription processing for thousands of pharmacies. The February 2024 attack disrupted prescription services nationwide, preventing patients from accessing medications and causing financial hardship for healthcare providers who couldn't submit claims.
The company initially reported that over 100 million individuals had their protected health information compromised. By mid-2025, this number had increased to nearly 193 million people, making it the largest healthcare breach in U.S. history (TechTarget, 2025).
Change Healthcare paid $22 million in ransom to the ALPHV/BlackCat group (Bright Defense, 2025). The total cost to the company is expected to reach $2.457 billion, including recovery expenses, legal fees, regulatory fines, and business disruption (Spin.AI, 2025).
This case demonstrates ransomware's devastating impact on critical healthcare infrastructure and the domino effect a single attack can have on an entire industry sector.
Case Study 2: Colonial Pipeline (2021)
Date: May 7, 2021
Victim: Colonial Pipeline, operator of the largest refined products pipeline in the U.S.
Attacker: DarkSide ransomware group
Impact: 45% of East Coast fuel supply disrupted for nearly a week
Ransom Paid: $4.4 million (partially recovered)
Colonial Pipeline supplies 45% of the East Coast's gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel. When DarkSide ransomware infected their IT systems, the company proactively shut down the entire pipeline to contain the attack.
The shutdown triggered panic buying and gas shortages across 17 states. President Biden declared a state of emergency. Gas stations ran dry. Airlines rerouted flights to avoid fuel-strapped airports.
Colonial Pipeline paid $4.4 million in Bitcoin within hours of the attack. The company later revealed they made the payment because they didn't know the full extent of the compromise and needed to restore operations quickly (University of Tulsa, 2024).
In a rare law enforcement success, the FBI recovered approximately $2.3 million of the ransom by tracing the Bitcoin payments and seizing the attackers' cryptocurrency wallets.
The Colonial Pipeline attack brought ransomware into mainstream consciousness and highlighted the vulnerability of critical infrastructure. It prompted increased government focus on cybersecurity regulation for essential services.
Case Study 3: CDK Global (2024)
Date: June 2024
Victim: CDK Global, software provider to car dealerships
Attacker: BlackSuit ransomware group
Impact: 15,000 car dealerships in the U.S. and Canada disrupted
Ransom Paid: $25 million
CDK Global provides software systems that car dealerships use for everything from inventory management to customer records to financing. When BlackSuit ransomware struck in June 2024, it paralyzed approximately 15,000 dealerships across North America.
Dealerships couldn't access customer information, process sales, or manage inventory. Many resorted to pen and paper to continue operations. The disruption lasted several weeks.
The initial ransom demand was $10 million. However, after CDK attempted recovery, attackers launched a second cyberattack, escalating the demand to over $50 million. CDK Global ultimately paid $25 million (approximately 387 Bitcoin) on June 21, 2024, as traced by blockchain security firm TRM Labs (PurpleSec, 2025).
This case illustrates how ransomware can cascade through supply chains, affecting thousands of businesses through a single attack on their software provider.
Industry Impact and Statistics
Overall Attack Trends
Ransomware attacks have surged dramatically:
U.S. ransomware attacks increased 50% in the first 10 months of 2025, with 5,010 reported incidents compared to 3,335 in 2024 (Cyble, reported by TechTarget, 2025)
BlackFog reported a 36% year-over-year increase in ransomware attacks in Q3 2025 (TechTarget, 2025)
An estimated 85% of ransomware attacks go unreported (BlackFog, reported by TechTarget, 2025)
Ransomware was involved in approximately one-third of all breaches in 2024 (Verizon, reported by TechTarget, 2025)
63% of organizations experienced a ransomware attack in 2025, with 50% of attacks resulting in data encryption (SOCRadar, 2025)
Financial Impact
The economics of ransomware paint a sobering picture:
Average total cost per ransomware attack: $5.08 million in 2025, expected to rise to $5.5-$6 million in 2026 (IBM Security, reported by PurpleSec, 2025)
Median ransom demand in 2025: $1.32 million, down from $2 million in 2024 (Sophos, reported by Bright Defense, 2025)
Median ransom payment in 2025: $1 million, a 50% decrease from $2 million in 2024 (Sophos, reported by Bright Defense, 2025)
Average recovery cost (excluding ransom): $1.53 million, down 44% year-over-year (Sophos, reported by SOCRadar, 2025)
Total ransomware payments in 2023: $1.1 billion (Fortinet, 2025)
Projected annual ransomware costs by 2031: Over $265 billion (Spin.AI, 2025)
Industry-Specific Impact
Certain sectors face disproportionate targeting:
Healthcare: 54% of healthcare organizations reported ransomware attacks by mid-2025 (Verizon, reported by Mimecast, 2025). Average ransom payment for healthcare: $115,000 (Verizon, reported by Mimecast, 2025). Healthcare attacks are particularly devastating because they can directly impact patient care and endanger lives.
State and Local Government: 34% of state and local government organizations were hit by ransomware in 2024, down from 69% in 2023 (Sophos, reported by Mimecast, 2025). Average recovery cost: $2.83 million (Sophos, reported by Mimecast, 2025).
Finance and Retail: Major targets due to valuable financial and personal data. Some retail chains faced ransom demands exceeding $2.73 million (Sophos, reported by Mimecast, 2025).
Critical Infrastructure: 28% of all ransomware attacks in 2025 targeted critical infrastructure sectors including energy, water treatment, and transportation (Verizon, reported by Mimecast, 2025).
Small Businesses: 88% of ransomware incidents involve small businesses, yet many lack adequate cybersecurity measures (Verizon, reported by Mimecast, 2025). Mastercard's global SMB cybersecurity study found that nearly one in five small businesses that suffered a cyberattack filed for bankruptcy or had to close (Fortinet, 2025).
Modern Ransomware Trends: Double and Triple Extortion
The ransomware landscape has evolved beyond simple encryption. Modern attacks incorporate multiple extortion methods to maximize pressure on victims.
Double Extortion
Double extortion emerged around 2019 and quickly became the dominant ransomware tactic. Attackers:
Infiltrate the network and steal sensitive data
Encrypt files and systems
Demand payment for both decryption AND to prevent data publication
Even victims with excellent backups face pressure to pay, as data exposure can cause regulatory fines, lawsuits, competitive damage, and reputational harm. Stolen data often includes:
Customer records with personal information
Employee data including Social Security numbers
Financial documents and bank account information
Trade secrets and intellectual property
Confidential business communications
Medical records and health information
By 2021, 83.3% of ransomware attacks employed double extortion (Cohesity, 2025). Attackers maintain "leak sites" on the dark web where they publish stolen data from non-paying victims, creating additional pressure and demonstrating they follow through on threats.
Triple Extortion
Triple extortion adds a third pressure layer. Beyond encryption and data theft, attackers might:
Direct Stakeholder Contact: Informing customers, partners, suppliers, or employees directly about the breach, creating public pressure and panic
DDoS Attacks: Launching distributed denial-of-service attacks to take down public-facing websites and services, compounding operational disruption
Regulatory Reporting: Threatening to report the victim to regulators for compliance violations, potentially triggering investigations and fines
Public Harassment: Using social media and other platforms to publicly shame victims and damage their reputation
This multi-front assault leaves victims feeling they have no choice but to pay (Splunk, 2025).
Ransomware as a Service (RaaS)
One of the most troubling developments in the ransomware ecosystem is Ransomware as a Service (RaaS). This business model has industrialized cybercrime, making sophisticated ransomware attacks accessible to criminals with minimal technical skills.
How RaaS Works
RaaS operates like legitimate Software as a Service (SaaS) platforms:
Developers create the ransomware and supporting infrastructure (encryption engines, payment portals, leak sites, customer support systems)
Affiliates purchase or lease access to the ransomware, then carry out attacks
Revenue Sharing operates on a profit-split model, typically 70-80% to the affiliate and 20-30% to the developer
Some RaaS platforms offer:
User-friendly control panels
24/7 technical support for affiliates
Automatic payment processing
Built-in Bitcoin mixing to hide money trails
Regular updates and new features
Customer service for victims to help them pay ransoms
Major RaaS Groups
LockBit: One of the most prolific RaaS operations. According to the UK's National Crime Agency, LockBit launched more than 7,000 attacks globally between June 2022 and February 2024, before its leader Dmitry Khoroshev was unmasked and sanctioned (Fortinet, 2025).
Qilin: Became the most active ransomware group by June 2025, carrying out 81 attacks in a single month, a 47.3% increase (Cyfirma, reported by Fortinet, 2025).
RansomHub: First identified in February 2024, reportedly includes members from BlackCat. It quickly became one of the top ransomware groups of 2024, amassing over 210 victims across various industries (TechTarget, 2025).
Akira: Remained the most prevalent ransomware strain in Q3 2025, responsible for 34% of observed attacks (Check Point Research, reported by SOCRadar, 2025).
As of Q3 2025, there were 85 active extortion groups operating, with 1,592 new victims listed—roughly 535 victims per month (SOCRadar, 2025). In the first half of 2025, 96 unique ransomware groups were observed (SOCRadar, 2025).
The Economics of RaaS
RaaS has lowered the barrier to entry for cybercrime. A person with no programming skills can now launch devastating ransomware attacks by simply purchasing access to a RaaS platform. This democratization of cybercrime has led to the explosion in attack volume we've seen in recent years.
The profit potential is enormous. Even with a 70/30 split, a single successful attack can net an affiliate hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars. The largest confirmed ransom payment was $75 million, paid to the Dark Angels ransomware group by an undisclosed Fortune 50 company (PurpleSec, 2025).
How to Prevent Ransomware Attacks
Prevention requires a layered defense strategy. No single solution provides complete protection, but combining multiple approaches significantly reduces risk.
1. Implement Comprehensive Backup Strategy
The single most important ransomware defense is regular, tested backups following the 3-2-1-1 rule (BlackFog, 2026):
3 copies of your data
2 different storage types (e.g., local hard drive and cloud)
1 copy offsite or in the cloud
1 copy offline or air-gapped (physically disconnected from the network)
Additional backup best practices:
Enable immutable backups that can't be altered or deleted for a specified retention period
Implement version control to maintain multiple file versions
Test backup restoration regularly—backups are useless if you can't restore from them
Back up critical data at least daily; hourly for mission-critical systems
Ensure backups include system configurations, not just data files
CISA recommends maintaining offline, encrypted backups and regularly testing them in disaster recovery scenarios (CISA, 2023).
2. Keep Systems Updated and Patched
Exploited vulnerabilities were the top root cause of ransomware attacks in 2025, responsible for 32% of incidents (SOCRadar, 2025). Many attacks succeed because victims haven't installed available security patches.
Enable automatic updates where possible
Prioritize critical security patches and deploy them within 24-48 hours
Maintain an inventory of all systems and software to ensure nothing is overlooked
Test patches in a lab environment before production deployment
Disable SMB v1 protocol on all servers and workstations (helps prevent WannaCry-style attacks)
Update third-party software and SaaS applications, not just operating systems
The WannaCry attack succeeded because organizations hadn't installed a patch Microsoft released two months earlier. This simple failure cost billions in damages.
3. Deploy Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
Compromised credentials account for 23% of ransomware attacks (SOCRadar, 2025). Multi-factor authentication makes stolen passwords useless without the second factor.
Implement phishing-resistant MFA (hardware tokens, biometrics, or authenticator apps)
Require MFA for all accounts, especially privileged and administrative accounts
Use MFA for remote access (VPN, RDP, cloud applications)
Consider password managers to encourage strong, unique passwords
CISA specifically recommends phishing-resistant MFA as a critical defense (CISA, 2023).
4. Provide Security Awareness Training
Phishing attacks account for 18% of ransomware infections, up from 11% in 2024 (SOCRadar, 2025). Malicious email remains one of the most common attack vectors, responsible for 19% of incidents (SOCRadar, 2025).
Employee training should cover:
Identifying phishing emails (suspicious senders, urgent language, unexpected attachments)
Recognizing social engineering tactics
Safe web browsing practices
Proper handling of USB devices and removable media
Reporting procedures for suspicious activity
Incident response protocols
Training should be ongoing, not a one-time event. Regular simulated phishing tests help reinforce lessons and identify employees who need additional training.
5. Implement Network Segmentation
Network segmentation limits ransomware spread by dividing networks into isolated segments. If one segment is infected, others remain protected.
Segment by function (operations, finance, HR, guest network)
Segment by security level (public, confidential, restricted data)
Implement zero-trust architecture that assumes no user or device can be trusted by default
Restrict lateral movement between segments
Place user-owned devices on a guest network with no access to internal resources
CISA recommends network segmentation as a core protection (CISA, 2023).
6. Secure Remote Access
Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) is a frequent attack vector. Securing it is critical:
Close port 3389 in firewalls unless absolutely necessary
Require VPN access before allowing RDP connections
Implement account lockout policies after failed login attempts
Use complex passwords or certificate-based authentication
Monitor and log all remote access activity
Disable RDP when not in use
7. Deploy Endpoint Protection and Monitoring
Install antivirus and anti-malware software on all endpoints
Use Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) tools for advanced threat detection
Enable behavioral analysis to detect ransomware activity patterns
Implement application whitelisting to prevent unauthorized software execution
Monitor for unusual file access patterns or mass file modifications
Enable controlled folder access to protect important directories
8. Apply Principle of Least Privilege
Limit user access to only what's necessary for their job:
Avoid granting administrative rights to regular users
Use role-based access control (RBAC) to manage permissions
Regularly review and revoke unnecessary access
Create separate accounts for administrative tasks
Monitor and log privileged account usage
Implement just-in-time access for temporary elevated permissions
9. Email and Web Security
Deploy email filtering to block malicious attachments and links
Implement sandboxing for suspicious email attachments
Use DNS filtering to block access to known malicious domains
Enable Safe Links and Safe Attachments features in email systems
Block executable file types in email (.exe, .bat, .cmd, .vbs)
Scan attachments with multiple antivirus engines
10. Develop an Incident Response Plan
63% of victims who involved law enforcement avoided paying ransom in 2024 (Bright Defense, 2025). Having a clear plan improves outcomes:
Define roles and responsibilities during an incident
Establish communication protocols (internal and external)
Create isolation procedures to contain infections
Identify critical systems and prioritize their recovery
Document law enforcement contacts (FBI, CISA, local authorities)
Plan for business continuity during extended outages
Conduct regular tabletop exercises to practice responses
CISA offers free tabletop exercise packages to help organizations prepare (CISA, 2025).
What to Do If You're Attacked
If you discover a ransomware infection, quick action can limit damage.
Immediate Steps
Isolate infected systems immediately. Disconnect from the network (Wi-Fi, Ethernet) but don't power down—this preserves forensic evidence
Identify the infection scope. Determine which systems are affected
Activate your incident response plan
Notify law enforcement. Contact the FBI, CISA, or local authorities immediately
Preserve evidence. Don't delete anything or attempt cleanup before documenting the incident
Assessment Phase
Determine the ransomware variant. Identification may reveal available decryption tools
Check for backups. Verify backup integrity and isolation
Assess data theft. Determine if data was exfiltrated (double extortion)
Document everything. Screenshots, logs, ransom notes
Recovery Decisions
Should you pay the ransom?
Law enforcement and cybersecurity professionals generally advise against paying for several reasons:
No guarantee of decryption. Attackers may not provide the key or it may not work properly
Funds criminal activity. Payment enables future attacks
Legal risks. In some cases, paying ransoms to certain groups may violate sanctions laws
Repeat targeting. 78% of organizations attacked in 2023 were breached again in 2024, with 63% asked to pay even higher ransoms (Spin.AI, 2025)
However, the FBI acknowledges that some victims may have no choice, particularly with sophisticated ransomware like CryptoLocker where data recovery is otherwise impossible (UC Berkeley, 2025).
In 2025, 63% of victims refused to pay (up from 59% in 2024), while 37% chose to pay (Bright Defense, 2025). Involving law enforcement significantly increased non-payment rates—63% of victims who involved law enforcement avoided paying in 2024 (Bright Defense, 2025).
Recovery Process
Consult experts. Engage cybersecurity forensic specialists and legal counsel
Report to regulators if required (GDPR, HIPAA, state breach notification laws)
Notify affected parties (customers, partners, employees) as legally required
Restore from backups if available and verified clean
Rebuild compromised systems from scratch—don't just decrypt
Change all credentials (passwords, keys, certificates)
Implement additional security. Address the vulnerabilities that allowed the attack
Recovery takes time. In 2025, 34% of organizations took longer than a month to recover from ransomware (Spacelift, 2025). However, 53% of victims fully recovered within one week, up from 35% in 2024 (SOCRadar, 2025).
The Economics of Ransomware
Understanding the financial aspects of ransomware helps explain its persistence and growth.
Victim Costs
The average total cost of a ransomware attack in 2025 was $5.08 million (IBM Security, 2025). This includes:
Ransom payments (if paid): Median $1 million in 2025
Recovery costs: $1.53 million average (excluding ransom)
Downtime losses: Average of 24 days offline translates to massive revenue loss
Forensic investigation: Expert analysis and incident response
Legal fees: Attorneys for regulatory compliance and potential lawsuits
Regulatory fines: GDPR, HIPAA, and other compliance penalties
Notification costs: Informing affected parties
Credit monitoring: Often required for affected individuals
Reputational damage: Long-term customer and revenue loss
Insurance premium increases: Cyber insurance costs rise after incidents
Average ransomware insurance claims in 2025 were $292,000, down 7% from 2024 (Coalition, reported by TechTarget, 2025).
Attacker Revenue
Ransomware is extraordinarily profitable for cybercriminals:
Total ransomware payments in 2023: $1.1 billion (Fortinet, 2025)
This represents a 140% increase from $457 million in 2022 (Fortinet, 2025)
Some successful RaaS affiliates earn millions per year
Development groups take 20-30% of all ransom payments across their affiliate network
By 2031, ransomware is projected to cost victims more than $20 billion per month, up from approximately $20 billion per year in 2021 (Cybersecurity Ventures, reported by Mimecast, 2025).
Payment Dynamics
Negotiation is common. In 2025:
53% of victims who paid negotiated a lower amount than initially demanded (Sophos, reported by Bright Defense, 2025)
29% paid exactly the amount first demanded (Sophos, reported by Bright Defense, 2025)
18% paid more than initially demanded (Sophos, reported by Bright Defense, 2025)
The declining payment trend is notable. The median payment dropped 50% from $2 million in 2024 to $1 million in 2025 (Sophos, reported by Bright Defense, 2025). This suggests victims are increasingly refusing to pay or negotiating harder.
Future Outlook
Several trends will shape ransomware's evolution:
Increasing AI and Automation
Cybercriminals are incorporating artificial intelligence to:
Identify vulnerabilities more efficiently
Optimize phishing campaigns with realistic, personalized messages
Automate lateral movement and privilege escalation
Dynamically adapt malware to evade detection
Defenders are also using AI for threat detection, creating an arms race between offensive and defensive AI capabilities.
Targeting Cloud Infrastructure
As organizations migrate to cloud services, attackers follow. Cloud-specific ransomware variants target:
AWS S3 buckets (Codefinger ransomware targets these specifically)
Azure storage
Google Cloud Platform resources
SaaS application data
The shared responsibility model in cloud environments creates confusion about security ownership, potentially leaving gaps attackers exploit.
Regulatory Pressure
Governments are taking more active roles:
Some jurisdictions are considering or have enacted laws regulating ransom payments
Increased penalties for data breaches and security failures
Requirements for mandatory reporting of ransomware incidents
International cooperation on cybercrime prosecution
By the end of 2025, the percentage of states that enact laws regulating ransomware payments, fines, and negotiations is expected to increase from less than 1% in 2021 to 30% (Astra, 2025).
Supply Chain Attacks
Attackers increasingly target software and service providers to compromise multiple victims simultaneously. The CDK Global attack that affected 15,000 car dealerships exemplifies this trend. Expect more attacks on:
Managed service providers (MSPs)
Software supply chains
Cloud service providers
Third-party vendors with access to client networks
Cryptocurrency Evolution
As law enforcement improves cryptocurrency tracing, attackers adapt by:
Using privacy-focused cryptocurrencies (Monero, Zcash)
Employing mixing services to obfuscate transaction trails
Demanding payment in physical goods or gift cards
Developing custom payment infrastructures
Critical Infrastructure Focus
The targeting of critical infrastructure will likely intensify. Attacks on:
Energy grids and pipelines
Water treatment facilities
Transportation systems
Healthcare networks
Emergency services
These attacks have maximum impact and pressure, making victims more likely to pay.
Attack Frequency
Current trends suggest attacks will become even more common. Cybersecurity Ventures estimates that by 2031, a ransomware attack will occur every 2 seconds (Astra, 2025). This represents an almost incomprehensible scale of cybercrime.
FAQ
1. What is ransomware in simple terms?
Ransomware is malicious software that locks your computer files or entire system until you pay money to unlock them. Attackers typically encrypt your data so you can't access it, then demand payment (usually in cryptocurrency) for the decryption key. It's like a digital kidnapping of your files.
2. How do I know if I have ransomware?
You'll typically see a ransom note displayed on your screen with instructions to pay money. Other signs include: being unable to open files (they may have strange extensions), files are mysteriously renamed, your desktop background changes to a ransom message, or you see a countdown timer demanding payment by a deadline.
3. Can ransomware be removed without paying?
Sometimes, yes. If you have recent, clean backups, you can wipe infected systems and restore from backups without paying. For some older ransomware variants, free decryption tools exist (available at nomoreransom.org). However, for sophisticated modern ransomware with strong encryption, paying or restoring from backups are often the only options.
4. Should I pay the ransom if I'm attacked?
Law enforcement and security experts generally recommend not paying because: there's no guarantee you'll get your data back, it funds criminal activity, and paying makes you a target for future attacks. However, in 2025, 37% of victims chose to pay (Bright Defense, 2025). The decision depends on your backup situation, the value of the data, and legal considerations.
5. How does ransomware spread?
Common infection methods include: phishing emails with malicious attachments or links (19% of attacks), exploited software vulnerabilities (32% of attacks), compromised credentials from stolen passwords (23% of attacks), infected websites and malicious ads, and USB drives with malware. Some variants like WannaCry can spread automatically between computers on a network (SOCRadar, 2025).
6. Can antivirus software protect me from ransomware?
Antivirus software is one layer of protection but isn't foolproof. Modern ransomware often uses techniques to evade detection. You need a layered defense including: updated antivirus, regular backups, software patches, employee training, email filtering, and network segmentation. No single solution provides complete protection.
7. How much does ransomware typically cost victims?
The average total cost of a ransomware attack is $5.08 million, including ransom payment, recovery costs, downtime, legal fees, and other expenses (IBM Security, 2025). The median ransom demand in 2025 was $1.32 million, though actual payments averaged $1 million (Sophos, reported by Bright Defense, 2025). Small businesses face costs between $120,000 and $1.24 million (Halcyon, 2024).
8. What is double extortion ransomware?
Double extortion combines encryption with data theft. Attackers not only encrypt your files but also steal sensitive data before encryption. They then threaten to publish the stolen data publicly or sell it on the dark web if you don't pay. This puts pressure on victims even if they have backups. By Q3 2021, 83% of ransomware attacks used double extortion (Cohesity, 2025).
9. Can mobile phones get ransomware?
Yes. Android devices are more vulnerable than iOS due to the open nature of the Android ecosystem. Mobile ransomware can lock your screen, encrypt files on your SD card, or threaten to delete contacts and photos. SimpleLocker (2014) was the first major mobile ransomware. Protection includes: downloading apps only from official stores, keeping your OS updated, and avoiding suspicious links.
10. What industries are most targeted by ransomware?
The most targeted sectors in 2025 are: healthcare (54% of organizations attacked), manufacturing, education, government (particularly state and local), finance and banking, retail, energy and utilities, and legal services. Critical infrastructure sectors account for 28% of all attacks (Verizon and Sophos, reported by Mimecast and TechTarget, 2025).
11. What is Ransomware as a Service (RaaS)?
RaaS is a business model where ransomware developers create the malware and rent or sell access to it. Criminals with minimal technical skills can become "affiliates," using the ransomware to attack victims. Profits are split (typically 70-80% to the affiliate, 20-30% to the developer). This has industrialized ransomware and dramatically increased attack volume.
12. How long does it take to recover from a ransomware attack?
Recovery time varies widely. In 2025, 53% of organizations recovered within one week, up from 35% in 2024. However, 34% took longer than a month to fully recover (Spacelift and SOCRadar, 2025). Factors affecting recovery time include: backup availability and quality, attack scope, organization size, and whether payment was made.
13. Will paying the ransom guarantee I get my data back?
No. There's no guarantee. Some attackers provide working decryption tools, while others provide faulty tools or disappear after receiving payment. In some cases (like NotPetya), the "ransomware" is actually a wiper that permanently destroys data regardless of payment. That said, many attackers do decrypt files because their business model depends on victims believing payment works.
14. Can ransomware spread through email?
Yes, email is one of the most common delivery methods. Ransomware spreads through: malicious attachments (Word docs with macros, PDFs, executable files), links to infected websites, and compromised email accounts that send malware to contacts. In 2025, malicious email accounted for 19% of ransomware attacks, while phishing accounted for 18% (SOCRadar, 2025).
15. What is the difference between ransomware and malware?
Malware is the umbrella term for all malicious software, including viruses, worms, trojans, spyware, and ransomware. Ransomware is a specific type of malware designed to encrypt files or lock systems and demand payment for restoration. Other malware types might steal data silently, create botnets, or destroy files without demanding ransom.
16. Can ransomware encrypt cloud storage and backups?
Yes. Modern ransomware often searches for and targets backup systems and cloud storage accounts (OneDrive, Dropbox, Google Drive, etc.) to prevent recovery. Attackers delete, encrypt, or corrupt backups before encrypting production data. This is why air-gapped (offline) backups and immutable (unchangeable) cloud backups are critical.
17. What is a crypto locker?
CryptoLocker specifically refers to a ransomware variant that appeared in September 2013. It pioneered the use of strong RSA encryption (2048-bit) and demanded Bitcoin payments. CryptoLocker was highly successful, earning an estimated $3-27 million before law enforcement shut down the Gameover ZeuS botnet that distributed it. The term is sometimes used generically for crypto ransomware.
18. How do attackers choose ransomware targets?
Attackers select targets based on: ability to pay (larger organizations, critical infrastructure), weak security (unpatched systems, poor backups), high-value data (healthcare records, financial information), operational importance (hospitals, pipelines, government services), and sometimes industry sector. Some attacks are opportunistic (mass phishing), while others involve careful reconnaissance and targeted attacks.
19. What are the legal consequences of ransomware attacks?
For attackers: ransomware is illegal in virtually all jurisdictions, with penalties including lengthy prison sentences. For victims: failing to report breaches can result in regulatory fines (GDPR, HIPAA violations). Paying ransoms to sanctioned entities or terrorist groups may violate laws. Organizations have legal obligations to notify affected individuals and regulators within specific timeframes.
20. Can I decrypt ransomware files myself?
For older, poorly designed ransomware, free decryption tools may exist (check nomoreransom.org, a joint initiative by law enforcement and security companies). For modern ransomware using strong encryption, decryption without the key is effectively impossible with current technology. Even quantum computers in the near future won't easily break AES-256 encryption. Your options are: restore from backups, pay the ransom, or attempt recovery from shadow copies/temporary files.
Key Takeaways
Ransomware is a billion-dollar criminal industry that encrypted files or locks systems until victims pay, typically in cryptocurrency. It has evolved from simple file encryption to sophisticated multi-stage extortion operations.
Attack volume is surging dramatically. U.S. attacks increased 50% in 2025, with 63% of organizations worldwide experiencing an attack. An estimated 85% of incidents go unreported.
Costs are staggering. The average total cost per attack is $5.08 million, though median ransom payments have dropped to $1 million (down from $2 million in 2024).
Double and triple extortion dominate. 83% of attacks in 2021 combined encryption with data theft threats. Modern attackers use multiple pressure tactics including DDoS, stakeholder notification, and public shaming.
Ransomware as a Service has industrialized cybercrime. RaaS platforms enable criminals with minimal skills to launch sophisticated attacks, dramatically increasing attack frequency.
Certain industries face disproportionate risk. Healthcare (54% attacked), government (34%), finance, manufacturing, and critical infrastructure are primary targets due to operational importance and valuable data.
Most attacks exploit basic security failures. The top three root causes are exploited vulnerabilities (32%), compromised credentials (23%), and phishing/malicious email (19%+18%).
Paying doesn't guarantee recovery. 63% of victims refused to pay in 2025. Involving law enforcement significantly improved outcomes, with 63% of those who did avoiding payment entirely.
Prevention requires layered defenses. No single solution works. You need: offline backups, multi-factor authentication, regular patching, network segmentation, employee training, and incident response planning.
The threat will intensify. Experts predict ransomware attacks will occur every 2 seconds by 2031, with annual costs exceeding $265 billion. AI, cloud targeting, and supply chain attacks represent emerging frontiers.
Actionable Next Steps
Audit your current backup strategy today. Verify you have offline or immutable backups that ransomware can't reach. Test restoration to ensure backups actually work. Implement the 3-2-1-1 rule if you haven't already.
Enable multi-factor authentication on all accounts within the next week, starting with email, administrative accounts, and remote access. Prioritize phishing-resistant MFA (hardware tokens or authenticator apps over SMS).
Create an inventory of all systems and software. Identify what needs patching and establish a schedule. Deploy critical security updates within 24-48 hours of release.
Conduct a phishing simulation with your team next month. Identify employees who need additional training. Make security awareness training ongoing, not a one-time event.
Develop a written incident response plan within 30 days. Assign specific roles, document procedures for isolation and recovery, and include law enforcement contact information. Schedule quarterly tabletop exercises.
Segment your network to limit ransomware spread. At minimum, isolate guest networks and privileged user systems from general staff networks.
Review and restrict administrative privileges. Apply the principle of least privilege—users should only have access needed for their jobs. Create separate accounts for administrative tasks.
Deploy endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools if you haven't already. Simple antivirus isn't sufficient against modern threats.
Document your critical assets and recovery priorities. Know which systems must be restored first to resume operations. Understand dependencies between systems.
Join a sector-specific Information Sharing and Analysis Center (ISAC) to receive threat intelligence relevant to your industry. Consider CISA's free cyber hygiene services.
Glossary
Air-Gapped Backup: A backup physically disconnected from any network, making it immune to ransomware that spreads through connected systems.
Bitcoin: A cryptocurrency commonly demanded in ransom payments because transactions provide anonymity and are difficult to trace.
Command and Control (C&C) Server: A remote server operated by attackers that sends encryption keys, receives stolen data, and controls ransomware behavior.
Crypto Ransomware: Ransomware that encrypts files, making them inaccessible without the decryption key.
Double Extortion: A tactic where attackers both encrypt files and threaten to publish stolen data if ransom isn't paid.
Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR): Security software that monitors endpoints (computers, servers, mobile devices) for suspicious behavior and responds to threats.
Exploit: A technique or code that takes advantage of a security vulnerability to gain unauthorized access or execute malicious actions.
Immutable Backup: A backup that cannot be altered or deleted for a specified retention period, protecting it from ransomware.
Lateral Movement: The process by which attackers move from one system to another within a network, escalating privileges and spreading infection.
Locker Ransomware: Ransomware that locks users out of their entire system rather than encrypting individual files.
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): A security process requiring two or more verification factors (password, phone code, biometric) to access an account.
Phishing: A social engineering attack where malicious emails trick recipients into clicking links or opening attachments that deliver malware.
Ransomware as a Service (RaaS): A business model where ransomware developers sell or lease their malware to affiliates who carry out attacks in exchange for profit sharing.
Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP): A protocol that allows remote connection to computers. Port 3389 is commonly targeted by ransomware attackers.
Scareware: Fake security warnings that trick users into paying for nonexistent problems or downloading malware.
Triple Extortion: Ransomware tactics that combine encryption and data theft with additional pressure tactics like DDoS attacks or direct stakeholder contact.
Zero-Trust Architecture: A security model that assumes no user or device can be trusted by default, requiring verification at every access point.
Sources & References
Sophos. (2025). The State of Ransomware 2025. Retrieved from https://www.sophos.com/en-us/content/state-of-ransomware
TechTarget. (2025). Ransomware Trends, Statistics and Facts in 2026. Retrieved from https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/feature/Ransomware-trends-statistics-and-facts
Fortinet. (2025). Ransomware Statistics 2025: Latest Trends & Must-Know Insights. Retrieved from https://www.fortinet.com/resources/cyberglossary/ransomware-statistics
Bright Defense. (2025). 500+ Ransomware Statistics for 2026. Retrieved from https://www.brightdefense.com/resources/ransomware-statistics/
Mimecast. (2025). Ransomware Statistics 2025: Attack Rates and Costs. Retrieved from https://www.mimecast.com/content/ransomware-statistics/
SOCRadar. (2025, December 26). Top 20 Ransomware Statistics You Should Know (2025). Retrieved from https://socradar.io/blog/top-20-ransomware-statistics-to-know-2025/
Astra. (2025). 100+ Ransomware Attack Statistics 2026: Trends & Cost. Retrieved from https://www.getastra.com/blog/security-audit/ransomware-attack-statistics/
PurpleSec. (2025, October 6). The Average Cost Of Ransomware Attacks (Updated 2025). Retrieved from https://purplesec.us/learn/average-cost-of-ransomware-attacks/
Spin.AI. (2022, January 13). Ransomware Tracker 2025. Retrieved from https://spin.ai/resources/ransomware-tracker/
Wikipedia. (2026, January 30). Ransomware. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ransomware
Check Point Software. (2025, November 9). Ransomware Attack - What is it and How Does it Work? Retrieved from https://www.checkpoint.com/cyber-hub/threat-prevention/ransomware/
Morphisec. (2025, May 12). Breaking Down Ransomware Encryption: Key Strategies, Algorithms and Implementation Trends. Retrieved from https://www.morphisec.com/blog/breaking-down-ransomware-encryption-key-strategies-algorithms-and-implementation-trends/
Proven Data. (2023, May 19). How Ransomware Encryption Works. Retrieved from https://www.provendata.com/blog/how-ransomware-encryption-works/
Medium - Tarcísio Marinho. (2024, February 11). Ransomware encryption techniques. Retrieved from https://medium.com/@tarcisioma/ransomware-encryption-techniques-696531d07bb9
TechTarget. (2025). What is Ransomware? Definition and Complete Guide. Retrieved from https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/definition/ransomware
Fortinet. (2021, May 17). Analyzing the History of Ransomware Across Industries. Retrieved from https://www.fortinet.com/blog/industry-trends/analyzing-the-history-of-ransomware-across-industries
Arctic Wolf. (2024, June 12). The History of Ransomware. Retrieved from https://arcticwolf.com/resources/blog/the-history-of-ransomware/
University of Tulsa. (2024, January 22). Famous Ransomware Attacks in History. Retrieved from https://online.utulsa.edu/blog/famous-ransomware-attacks-in-history/
Flashpoint. (2025, July 8). The History and Evolution of Ransomware Attacks. Retrieved from https://flashpoint.io/blog/the-history-and-evolution-of-ransomware-attacks/
Cybereason. (2025). A Brief History of Ransomware Evolution. Retrieved from https://www.cybereason.com/blog/a-brief-history-of-ransomware-evolution
ransomware.org. (2023, May 8). The History of Ransomware? Understand | Prevent | Recover. Retrieved from https://ransomware.org/what-is-ransomware/the-history-of-ransomware/
Akamai. (2025). What Are the Types of Ransomware? Retrieved from https://www.akamai.com/glossary/what-are-the-types-of-ransomware
Splunk. (2025). Top Ransomware Attack Types in 2026 and How to Defend. Retrieved from https://www.splunk.com/en_us/blog/learn/ransomware-attack-types.html
Cohesity. (2025, August 11). Double Extortion Ransomware | Data Extortion. Retrieved from https://www.cohesity.com/glossary/double-extortion-ransomware/
BlackFog. (2025, July 25). 4 Types of Ransomware: Recognizing and Understanding the Threat. Retrieved from https://www.blackfog.com/4-types-of-ransomware/
CISA. (2023, September). #StopRansomware Guide. Retrieved from https://www.cisa.gov/stopransomware/ransomware-guide
Fortinet. (2025). 9 Tips to Prevent Ransomware Attacks. Retrieved from https://www.fortinet.com/resources/cyberglossary/how-to-prevent-ransomware
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Microsoft Support. (2025). Protect your PC from ransomware. Retrieved from https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/protect-your-pc-from-ransomware-08ed68a7-939f-726c-7e84-a72ba92c01c3
Netwrix. (2025). Guide to Ransomware Prevention Best Practices. Retrieved from https://netwrix.com/en/resources/guides/how-to-prevent-ransomware/
Cloudflare. (2025). How to prevent ransomware | Prevention & security. Retrieved from https://www.cloudflare.com/learning/security/ransomware/how-to-prevent-ransomware/
UC Berkeley Information Security Office. (2025). What do I do to protect against Ransomware? Retrieved from https://security.berkeley.edu/faq/ransomware/what-do-i-do-protect-against-ransomware
Canadian Centre for Cyber Security. (2025). Ransomware: How to prevent and recover (ITSAP.00.099). Retrieved from https://www.cyber.gc.ca/en/guidance/ransomware-how-prevent-and-recover-itsap00099
Spacelift. (2025, October 16). 50+ Ransomware Statistics for 2025. Retrieved from https://spacelift.io/blog/ransomware-statistics
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