News brief: Ransomware trends show new twists to old game

If ransomware is the problem that won't go away, it is also the problem that doesn't stay the same. Tactics continue to change, as do the strategies to counter the threats.

Ransomware gangs target governments, education institutions, healthcare providers, retailers and others, making it a struggle for organizations of all sorts and sizes. It is so prevalent that the "2025 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report" concluded that ransomware was involved in 44% of all security breaches -- up from 32% the previous year. Precise numbers are hard to pin down, but recent statistics estimate that ransomware payments range from $267,000 to $1 million.

While phishing and other common attack methods still work well, bad actors are also turning to voice-based and AI-fueled methods to more precisely and efficiently target their intended victims. Some security experts expect to see AI tools used to create autonomous ransomware pipelines. That prospect ...