Overview
- The study examined about 2,800 incidents and found four in five ransomware attacks now incorporate AI.
- Acronis reports a 70% rise in verified ransomware victims in the first half of 2025.
- OutreachX details plug-and-play ransomware-as-a-service kits that automate targeting and delivery for non-experts.
- Attackers are shifting from code to content, using LLMs to generate tailored phishing, extortion notes and pressure scripts sold in kits.
- Experts recommend layered, AI-informed defenses including automated security hygiene, self-healing code, continuous monitoring and zero-trust architectures.