Ransomware Groups Are Multiplying, Raising The Stakes For Defenders
Help Net Security, Friday, September 26th, 2025
Ransomware activity is climbing again, with a steep increase in the number of victims and the number of groups launching attacks. A new mid-year report from Searchlight Cyber shows how quickly the threat landscape is shifting and why CISOs need to keep adjusting their defenses.
From January through June, ransomware groups listed 3,734 victims on their public extortion sites. This is a 20% increase over the last half of 2024 and a 67% jump compared to the same period last year.
The report shows that growth has been steady since early 2023, driven by the rise of the Ransomware-as-a-Service model. By letting affiliates rent ransomware tools, core groups can expand their reach without handling every attack themselves.