Global ransomware threat landscape 2026

Timeline

1. 11 days ago

   [CRIME] 15 sources

   QR Code Phishing Hits 11% of Brazil Email Attacks, Experts Warn of Rapid Rise

   QR code phishing now accounts for 11% of Brazil’s email attacks, surging from 0.8% in 2021 to over 12% and prompting calls for heightened user vigilance.

2. 13 days ago

   [TECHNOLOGY] 2 sources

   Portugal reports QR code phishing as seventh most common email threat

   ESET reports QR‑code phishing (“quishing”) made up 4.8% of Portugal’s email threats Dec 2025‑May 2026, ranking seventh, with ~100 k monthly detections and 11% of global phishing using QR codes.

3. 13 days ago

   [TECHNOLOGY] 2 sources

   Global Cybercrime Costs Projected to Exceed $12 Trillion by 2031

   Cybercrime costs could hit $12.2 trillion by 2031, with daily ransomware losses projected to top $726 million; a new calculator estimates $1.46 million for a typical mid‑size firm, and a list of 25 major cyber‑

4. 18 days ago

   [BUSINESS] 2 sources

   Cyber insurance at inflection point amid rising AI-driven threats and falling premiums

   S&P Global Ratings says rising AI‑driven cyber threats and falling premiums put the global cyber‑insurance market at an inflection point, forcing insurers to choose modest price hikes or risk technical losses;

5. 18 days ago

   [TECHNOLOGY] 8 sources

   Ransomware attacks pivot to compromised identities in 2026

   Sophos reports 79% of ransomware attacks now start with compromised credentials; phishing tops entry vectors, MFA gaps persist, recovery costs stay high. Italy and Brazil rank among the top ten countries hit by

6. 18 days ago

   [BUSINESS] 3 sources

   Cyber Insurance Market to Reach $32.2 B by 2030

   Cyber‑insurance is set to more than double to $32.2 B by 2030, driven by ransomware, regulation and AI‑enhanced risk models, with North America leading the market.

7. 20 days ago

   [TECHNOLOGY] 2 sources

   Portugal reports 29% rise in cyber attacks, 2,639 incidents per week

   June 2026 saw Portugal record 2,639 weekly cyber‑attacks, a 29% YoY rise, with ransomware surging and generative‑AI prompts exposing sensitive data in most firms.

8. 26 days ago

   [TECHNOLOGY] 2 sources

   American Users Shift Trust as Cybercrime and Spam Surge

   US consumers face rising spam calls, phishing and $20 B in cyber losses, prompting greater distrust of tech services and reliance on advanced security measures.

9. about 1 month ago

   [BUSINESS] 3 sources

   US cybercrime losses top $20 billion as insurance market faces rising claims

   U.S. cybercrime losses hit $20.9 billion in 2025, while the cyber‑insurance market struggles with a 53 % loss ratio and rising third‑party claims.

10. about 1 month ago

    [TECHNOLOGY] 2 sources

    ExtraHop Study Finds 49% of Ransomware Victims Detect Intrusion Only After Data Loss

    ExtraHop reports 49% of ransomware victims detect attacks only after data theft, dwell time averages 2.5 weeks, ransom payments drop to $2.8 M but 83% still pay, and AI infrastructure is now the top security‑at

11. about 1 month ago

    [TECHNOLOGY] 2 sources

    Portugal and Brazil report sharp rise in ransomware and operational cyber attacks

    Portugal and Brazil face rising ransomware and operational cyber attacks, with Portugal seeing a 48% ransomware jump and Brazil reporting 3,348 weekly attempts per firm, prompting calls for stronger continuity‑

12. about 2 months ago

    [TECHNOLOGY] 7 sources

    Global Cybersecurity Threats Surge Across Sectors in 2026

    Cyber attacks spike in 2026, hitting tourism, businesses and governments; Vietnam sees 502 M data leaks, Dominican Republic reports AI‑driven attacks, and Spain's S2 Grupo posts 54% revenue growth.

13. about 2 months ago

    [BUSINESS] 2 sources

    Latin American Firms Face Rising Cybersecurity and Fraud Risks

    Latin American businesses report high cybersecurity incidents and prioritize fraud and data security, with Argentine firms facing 76% incident rates and SMEs in eight countries highlighting protection as a key‑

14. about 2 months ago

    [TECHNOLOGY] 2 sources

    Construction industry faces surge in ransomware attacks, report shows

    A QBE‑Control Risks report finds construction leads global ransomware attacks in 2025, with digitalisation expanding vulnerabilities and EU NIS2 tightening rules.

15. about 2 months ago

    [CRIME] 2 sources

    Silent Ransom Group uses fast‑flux botnet to extort US law firms

    Silent Ransom Group has extorted dozens of U.S. law firms, using in‑person USB theft and a fast‑flux botnet across 18 countries to host data‑leak sites.

16. about 2 months ago

    [CRIME] 2 sources

    Cyber‑crime groups recruit attackers with crypto payouts and rapid physical infiltrations across Europe

    Russian hackers offer crypto rewards for attacks on Europe, while Silent Ransom Group adds quick physical infiltrations and AI‑driven phishing, highlighting a surge in low‑cost, profitable cyber‑crime.

17. about 2 months ago

    [TECHNOLOGY] 4 sources

    Hack‑for‑Hire groups and ransomware gang adopt new infiltration tactics

    Hack‑for‑hire services target journalists and officials in MENA and beyond, while the Silent Ransom Group uses fake tech staff to steal data and extort victims without encrypting files.

18. about 2 months ago

    [BUSINESS] 2 sources

    Cybersecurity Costs Strain Companies and Investors, Global Study Finds

    Stricter digital security measures increase compliance costs and hinder investors, while global cybercrime costs trillions, drives ransomware spikes and pushes cybersecurity spending past $1 trillion.

19. about 2 months ago

    [TECHNOLOGY] 4 sources

    Silent Ransom Group escalates ransomware attacks with physical IT imposters

    Silent Ransom Group (UNC3753) targeted U.S. firms, adding in‑person IT imposters who stole data with USB drives, prompting FBI and Google alerts about the new ransomware escalation.

20. about 2 months ago

    [CRIME] 2 sources

    Silent Ransom Group’s physical law‑firm attacks and Google’s Android deep‑fake call protection

    Polish law firms face physical ransomware attacks by Silent Ransom Group, while Google launches Android deep‑fake call detection to block spoofed scams.

21. about 2 months ago

    [TECHNOLOGY] 2 sources

    Ransomware leverages vulnerable drivers and remote encryption to bypass defenses

    Warlock ransomware uses vulnerable drivers to disable security tools, while ransomware’s remote encryption rise prompts defenses like Sophos CryptoGuard that monitor file operations to block attacks.

22. 2 months ago

    [TECHNOLOGY] 2 sources

    2026 Cybersecurity Landscape: Rise of Multi‑Extortion Ransomware and Shift to End‑to‑End Encrypted File Sharing

    2026 sees ransomware adopting multi‑extortion and AI‑driven attacks, while firms adopt end‑to‑end encrypted file‑sharing tools like Proton Drive and Tresorit for stronger data protection.

23. 2 months ago

    [CRIME] 2 sources

    Ransomware groups Everest and Chaos attack firms in Colombia and United States

    Everest ransomware hit a Colombian firm and Chaos ransomware struck U.S. retailer Powerhouse, both threatening data leaks and demanding negotiations.

24. 2 months ago

    [TECHNOLOGY] 2 sources

    Kaspersky report finds ransomware attacks falling yet becoming more industrialized

    Kaspersky’s 2026 report shows ransomware attacks slightly down but more industrialized, with data theft focus, post‑quantum crypto, and rising EDR‑killer use.

25. 2 months ago

    [TECHNOLOGY] 2 sources

    FBI warns of new in‑person ransomware attacks targeting law firms

    The FBI warns that attackers now pose as IT support, enter offices, and install devices to steal data for ransom, targeting law firms and other sectors.

26. 2 months ago

    [CRIME] 8 sources

    US Law Firms Face Surge in Cyber Extortion and Data Breaches

    A ransomware group stole 700 GB of client data from a West Virginia law firm, and the FBI warned that the Silent Ransom Group is targeting U.S. law firms with phishing, fake IT calls, and in‑person visits to ex

27. 2 months ago

    [TECHNOLOGY] 2 sources

    Spain's 2025 Cybersecurity Report Highlights Ransomware as Leading Threat

    Spain's Yarix 2025 report, based on 1,000 incidents, names ransomware and data leaks as top cyber threats, especially to finance, energy, transport and public sectors, and calls for automated, early‑detection C

28. 2 months ago

    [TECHNOLOGY] 2 sources

    Foxconn confirms ransomware attack on US factories, 8 TB data stolen by Nitrogen group

    Foxconn acknowledged a ransomware breach by Nitrogen that stole about 8 TB of data and disrupted its Wisconsin and Texas factories.

29. 2 months ago

    [TECHNOLOGY] 2 sources

    Latin America Tops Global Ransomware Rates as Threats Shift to Post‑Quantum Tactics

    Latin America led ransomware attacks in 2025 at 8.13% of firms, while global threats evolve with post‑quantum encryption, encryptionless extortion and advanced evasion tools.

30. 2 months ago

    [CRIME] 2 sources

    Ransomware gangs use stolen personal data to threaten victims with real‑world violence

    Ransomware groups use stolen personal data to threaten victims with real‑world violence, hiring locals for intimidation.

31. 3 months ago

    [TECHNOLOGY] 5 sources

    Ransomware Threat Targets Venezuelan Manufacturing in 2026

    ESET warns ransomware will target Venezuelan factories in 2026 and remains a top threat to Spanish firms.

32. 3 months ago

    [TECHNOLOGY] 4 sources

    AI‑Powered Cyber Attacks Drive Surge in Cybersecurity Spending and Stock Volatility

    AI‑driven hacks boost ransomware, cost $1.1T, push cybersecurity firms to raise R&D and spur stock focus on AI‑resilient vendors.

33. 3 months ago

    [TECHNOLOGY] 3 sources

    Foxconn cyberattack hits North American factories, threatens AI server supply

    Foxconn confirmed a ransomware attack on its North American factories, halting AI server production and prompting data‑theft claims.

34. 3 months ago

    [TECHNOLOGY] 2 sources

    AI-Enabled Ransomware Threats Prompt Calls for Terrorism Designation

    Ransomware now AI-driven and faster, spurring calls to label it terrorism and urging stronger, AI‑based defenses.

35. 3 months ago

    [TECHNOLOGY] 4 sources

    Fortinet reports rising AI-driven cyber threats in Philippines and Canada

    Fortinet warns of growing AI‑driven cyber threats in the Philippines and a surge in ransomware attacks in Canada.

36. 3 months ago

    [TECHNOLOGY] 2 sources

    Ransomware attacks become more organized in 2026, fueled by AI and fewer powerful groups

    Ransomware attacks in 2026 are driven by AI and fewer powerful groups, targeting mainly the US and causing extensive downtime.

37. 3 months ago

    [TECHNOLOGY] 3 sources

    AI-driven ransomware attacks spike in early 2026, hitting thousands of firms worldwide

    AI accelerates ransomware, causing a 389% rise in Q1 2026 with thousands of victims in the US, Canada and Germany.

38. 3 months ago

    [TECHNOLOGY] 5 sources

    BlackFog report reveals 2,160 hidden ransomware attacks in Q1 2026

    BlackFog says Q1 2026 saw 2,160 undisclosed ransomware attacks, far outpacing the 264 disclosed, with the US as the primary target.