Global Ransomware Attacks Rise in 2025 After Years of Decline

Artificial intelligence has allowed hackers to create more sophisticated phishing campaigns and bypass traditional security measures. It's no surprise that ransomware attacks are now on the rise, after years of decline.

According to Hornetsecurity Ransomware Impact Report24% of organizations surveyed reported ransomware attacks in 2025, up from 18.6% in 2024. This marks the end of a multi-year decline.

We took a closer look at the report to understand why ransomware attacks are on the rise, identify the most common attack methods, and explore how to best prepare to combat this growing threat.

Ransomware attacks are on the rise

Each year, Hornetsecurity conducts in-depth global research to identify key trends, patterns, and insights into the changing dynamics of ransomware attacks.

Between 2022 and 2024, the number of ransomware incidents declined steadily.

To begin with, in 2022, Hornetsecurity ransomware trends noted that 24% of surveyed organizations faced a ransomware attack.

A year later, Hornetsecurity research reported that 19.7% of organizations faced a ransomware attack in 2023.

The downward trend in ransomware attacks continued into 2024, with the number of attacks dropping to 18.6%.

However, this downward trend reversed dramatically in 2025. The Hornetsecurity Ransomware Impact Report found that 24% of organizations surveyed had been attacked by ransomware, signaling a resurgence of one of the most destructive cyber threats.

What Caused the Rise of Ransomware Attacks in 2025?

Essentially, it comes down to AI-powered automation that helps attackers scale and improve their operations.

Hornetsecurity says:

This new growth is closely tied to attackers employing more sophisticated automation and AI-enhanced techniques, allowing them to scale their operations while maintaining accuracy. The complexity continues to increase, especially in terms of how attackers identify and exploit vulnerabilities in hybrid IT environments.

Changing attack vectors

Phishing has long been the main method of ransomware attack. An attack vector is the route or method that attackers use to gain access to a system.

In phishing attacks, attackers trick users into clicking on malicious links or attachments. Once opened, the ransomware installs itself quietly in the background and runs silently.

Notably, email phishing attacks accounted for 46% of ransomware attacks in 2025, up from 52.3% in 2024. The data clearly shows that phishing, while still a major access vector, will lose dominance in 2025.

Other ransomware attack vectors in 2025 include compromised endpoints, stolen credentials, and exploited vulnerabilities.

If you're wondering how attack vectors have changed from 2024 to 2025, here's a quick comparison table.

With the rise of ransomware attacks, the question arises: are businesses prepared to protect themselves? Let's find out further.

Resilience fights back

While ransomware attacks are on the rise in 2025, it's worth noting that many organizations are beefing up their defenses.

In fact, 62% of organizations have implemented immutable backups, meaning their backups cannot be encrypted or altered in the event of a ransomware attack.

What's more, 82% of organizations surveyed now have a disaster recovery plan in place to help them recover data and systems after an attack.

Thanks to these measures, companies can now successfully resist ransomware attacks, despite the increase in the number of attacks. Only 13% of surveyed organizations resorted to paying ransom, compared to 16.3% in 2024.

This sustained decline is a clear sign that organizations are now more resilient and better equipped to deal with ransomware incidents without paying a ransom.

However, despite its growing persistence, ransomware remains a serious threat.

Ransomware remains a merciless enemy

While organizations are showing resilience, some of the findings from Hornetsecurity's latest report are troubling. At the forefront of these issues is user education.

As phishing remains a leading cause of ransomware attacks, training users to recognize malicious links and attachments greatly improves their ability to defend against such threats.

However, there has been a decline in user training. In 2025, 74% of organizations implemented user training, up from 81.3% in 2024. This reduction in user training increases overall risk.

Another challenge is implementing ransomware insurance. It is well known that ransomware insurance helps companies recover faster and reduce financial losses. However, 46% of organizations opted for ransomware insurance in 2025, up from 54.6% in 2024.

These gaps in training and preparedness highlight the importance of taking preventive measures to reduce the threat of ransomware.

Protecting your business from ransomware threats

A ransomware attack not only results in financial losses, but also reputational damage. This undermines customer trust and confidence in the affected organization's security practices.

Here are some tips to help strengthen your defense against the growing threat of ransomware:

Additionally, consider obtaining ransomware insurance to minimize financial losses.

Ransomware can be merciless, but with the right preparation, its impact can be effectively contained.

Sandeep Babu is a cybersecurity writer with over four years of hands-on experience. He looked at password managers, VPNs, cloud storage, antivirus software and other security tools that people use every day. He follows a strict testing process: installing each tool on his system and actively using it for at least seven days before writing about it. His reviews are always based on actual testing and not speculation. Sandeep's work has appeared on prominent technology platforms such as Geekflare, Sweetness, Cloudy, PrivacyJournaland much more. He received his MA in English Literature from Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi. He has also earned industry-recognized certifications such as Google Cybersecurity Professional Certification and ISC2 Certification in Cybersecurity. When he's not writing, he's usually testing security tools or re-watching comedy shows like Your health, Seinfeld, Still a gameor The Big Bang Theory.

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