Conclusion: The Next Chapter in the Ransomware Wars
Looking ahead, we expect this fragmentation to deepen. In 2025-2026, organizations should anticipate:
- Higher turnover among ransomware groups, with more rebranding and copycat activity
- More affiliate-driven chaos, where operators reuse access or double-target victims
- Increased focus on vendors and IT service providers as high-leverage points
- Shorter dwell times between initial access and data theft or extortion
- More automation and AI-assisted reconnaissance, accelerating group agility
At the same time, we anticipate continued progress in law enforcement disruption, more cyber insurance scrutiny, and growing pressure on vendors to demonstrate resilience.
For defenders, this means shifting posture:
- From visibility to anticipation
- From response to resilience
- From compliance checklists to adversary modeling
Ransomware is evolving—but so is the intelligence to fight it. Tools like the Ransomware Susceptibility Index® (RSI™), combined with supply chain monitoring, early warning signals, and proactive outreach, provide the advantage organizations need to hold the line in a battle that is far from over.
The war isn’t ending. But the winners will be the ones who see it coming.
