Did ransomware attacks really decline? Here are your business' 4 best defenses - ZDNET

Our gifting experts are obsessively searching for holiday gifts that are unique, thoughtful and suitable for any budget. Did it look like the ransomware threat was receding last year? New research suggests it was more of a reshuffle - and recommends renewed vigilance. Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. If it looked like ransomware was on the decline last year, research from multiple cybersecurity firms sheds new light on that idea. Previous reports suggested that ransomware extortion attempts declined in 2025, replaced by techniques such as process injection, credential theft, and virtualization- or sandbox-evasion-based attacks. But more recent second-quarter 2026 reports suggest that vigilance against such extortion attempts remains as important as ever. Also: Why managers are ransomware’s top targets now – and 6 ways to stay safe Before we dig deeper into the research data, let’s review the nature of the threat. Ransomware is a malicious software, aka malware, that can be spread across networks, computer systems, and endpoint devices. Once ransomware infiltrates your system, it can encrypt files and connected drives. Criminals behind a ransomware attack will d