Ransomware Attacks Up 9% but Payments Are Down www.databreachtoday.com/ransomwar…

The decline in ransomware payments is being attributed to ransomware fatigue, combined with takedowns of major players by law enforcement and the influx of new less-skilled actors who struggle to execute effective attacks. The ubiquity of already-leaked data has reduced the fear of victims admitting they’ve been attacked, while attackers get less attention amid global geopolitical chaos.

Data governance has become an important part of ransomware security strategies as data theft has risen significantly. CISOs are now being asked: How are you securing and encrypting data when it’s at rest and when it’s in use?

In Q1 2025, “50% of the ransomware attacks that Recorded Future saw were data theft only, no encryption," Liska said. “Now your security strategy has to change because data governance becomes that much more important. I think we’re going to start to see a fall in ransomware. This is the first time I’ve ever said that because I think it’s going to become less profitable for the bad guys.”