Ransomware attacks are reaching unprecedented levels, and 2026 may be even worse, warns Christiaan Beek, Senior Director of Threat Intelligence and Analytics at Rapid7. With over 80 active ransomware groups targeting victims worldwide simultaneously, cyber defenders are stretched thin. These groups are not only growing in number but are also becoming more resilient—quickly rebounding from law enforcement takedowns using profits from previous attacks.
Beek notes a troubling trend: threat actors are exploiting newly disclosed vulnerabilities almost immediately, particularly targeting devices on the network edge—a notoriously difficult area for organizations to patch in time. These include routers, VPNs, and other perimeter-facing technologies that often lack rapid-update capabilities.
“What companies need to consider,” Beek explains, “is if patching can't be done quickly, what secondary defenses are in place to detect abuse or anomalous behavior?” He emphasizes the need for layered defenses, including behavior analytics and automated response tools, to catch threats when traditional patching isn’t fast enough.
As ransomware becomes more aggressive and opportunistic, the focus must shift from just prevention to rapid detection and adaptive response, especially in complex, hybrid network environments.
Organizations must act now—or risk being outpaced by evolving ransomware tactics.
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