Ransomware attacks surge 48% globally in May 2026

In May 2026, 698 ransomware incidents were publicly reported, marking a 48 percent year‑on‑year increase and the strongest annual rise of the year. The upturn was observed across all regions, with Asia seeing a 119 percent jump, EMEA a 40 percent rise and both the Americas a 39 percent increase.

Corporate‑services firms accounted for 35 percent of victims, experiencing a 359 percent surge; consumer‑goods and services rose 223 percent and industrial manufacturing 50 percent. The most active ransomware groups were Qilin (14 percent of attacks), The Gentlemen (10 percent) and DragonForce (8 percent).

The threat also shifted toward private users and Android devices. Researchers identified malicious code hidden in Steam’s Wallpaper Engine that delivered backdoors and ransomware to Windows PCs and Android phones. In response, Google announced Android 17 security updates, including stricter RAM limits per app, mandatory device‑scan permissions on Wi‑Fi and a 24‑hour waiting period for sideloaded apps.