The number of ransomware victims who paid a ransom in 2024 (16.3%) more than doubled over the previous year (6.9%), accordin to new research from cybersecurity provider Hornetsecurity. Data loss has also increased dramatically, from 17.2% in 2023 to 30.2% in 2024.
Alarmingly, 5% of organizations reported a complete loss of all affected data. The increasing sophistication of cyberattacks has meant that the data recovery rate for businesses hit by ransomware has dropped from 87.4% in 2021 to 66.3% this year, according to the survey of 502 IT professionals.
Email and phishing attacks remain the most common vector of attack for ransomware, responsible for 52.3% of attacks, the survey revealed. Despite a slight reduction in attack volume from 21.1% in 2021 to 18.6% in 2024, the severity of these criminal behaviors has increased.
“The evolving landscape of ransomware threats highlights the need for constant vigilance,” commented Hornetsecurity CEO Daniel Hofmann. “The data shows that while fewer attacks are being reported, the outcomes are far more damaging, with potentially devastating consequences for organizations that fall victim to them.
“Criminals are constantly shifting tactics, and organizations of all sizes must invest in comprehensive security measures and ongoing cybersecurity awareness training to stay protected,” Hofmann added.
Generative AI: A Double-Edged Sword
The rise of generative AI technology has heightened fears of ransomware, with two-thirds (66.9%) of respondents indicating that AI has increased their apprehension about potential attacks.
General concerns about ransomware remain high, with nearly 85% of companies expressing moderate to extreme worry. While 89.4% of businesses acknowledge their senior leadership’s awareness of ransomware risks, only 56.3% report that leadership is actively engaged in prevention strategies. Additionally, 39.2% are content to leave the issue primarily to IT departments.
The survey showed 84.1% of respondents view ransomware protection as a top IT priority, and 87% have established disaster recovery plans. While this represents the majority, there is concern about organizations that do not prioritize ransomware given its potentially ruinous consequences on a business’s operations. One reason for this might be that some people (13.1%) mistakenly believe reliance on platforms like Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace negates the need for a formal plan.
Training In Cybersecurity: Urgent Refreshes Required
Despite 95.8% of respondents acknowledging the value of cybersecurity training, several concerns and misconceptions persist. The main issue is the time commitment, with 17.8% of respondents believing it is too demanding.
Additional feedback includes the perception that users are “untrainable”‘ (14.4%), the high cost of training (12.3%), and the significant time burden on IT staff (10.6%). A smaller proportion (7.6%) view training as outdated.
Hornetsecurity’s research shows just over half (52.3%) of ransomware attacks stem from email and phishing attempts, and breaches of the human firewall. This illustrates the need to overcome resistance to training, as employees are the first line of defense against cyber threats.
Awareness And Insurance Trends
Awareness of the impact of ransomware on Microsoft 365 data has improved significantly, with only 9.8% of respondents now uncertain about its vulnerability, down from 25.3% in 2022.
In addition to this, the uptake of ransomware insurance has increased markedly, with 54.6% of organizations purchasing coverage in 2024, up from 37.9% in 2022.
“Generative AI is a game-changer in ransomware, making attacks smarter and organizations understandably more nervous,” concluded Hofmann. “It’s promising to see more businesses taking up ransomware insurance, but awareness isn’t enough. Next-gen, AI-powered cybersecurity solutions are a crucial step in the battle against cybercriminals, but it is clear that organizations also need strong leadership, robust and engaging training, and constant vigilance to stay one step ahead.”
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