In 2026 the ransomware threat is evolving in ways that leave many businesses dangerously exposed. According to a recent BankInfoSecurity article, attackers are increasingly skipping the traditional model of encrypting files and asking for a ransom. Instead they are stealing sensitive data and holding it for extortion without ever needing to encrypt anything.
This change in tactics is significant and reveals a trend every business leader needs to understand.
The analysis from cyber insurance claims data published in the article shows that attackers are using infostealer malware to harvest credentials and sensitive information. These stolen assets are then used to gain access to corporate systems or held for extortion without file encryption.
In the first half of 2025 nearly half of extortion claims involved attacks that focused only on stolen data. By the second half of that year about two thirds of claims were linked to data theft alone according to claims data cited by BankInfoSecurity.
This means that even if your backups are solid and you can restore every encrypted file, attackers may already have your confidential data and are weaponizing it in ways backups cannot fix.
The report highlights two main tactics fueling this evolution:
These tactics are extremely effective because they exploit the weakest link in most cybersecurity programs people. Once attackers have valid credentials, they often do not need to deploy ransomware payloads at all and can move laterally inside networks.
Historically many businesses have relied on the idea that having good backups will allow them to recover after a ransomware incident. But with the shift to stolen data extortion, backups no longer protect you from damage. Even if you can restore your systems, your sensitive data may already be in criminal hands.
The BankInfoSecurity article notes that the number of victims who pay or recover is actually declining in some categories. That decline is less a sign that threats are weakening and more a sign that attackers are getting smarter about how they go after victims.
This understanding matches broader industry research showing that ransom payments give no guarantee of recovery or protection from data leaks. In fact, adversaries do not need to delete or encrypt anything to get leverage because the mere threat of data exposure is enough to force negotiations or reputational harm.
Most endpoint security tools still rely on detection methods. These tools identify known malware or suspicious behaviours after they are already present on an endpoint. This Detect and Respond model means you react to threats after they begin. It is better than nothing, but it is not enough anymore in an age of credential theft and blended attacks.
Infostealers often go undetected because they use legitimate processes to capture credentials. By the time a detection alert triggers, the damage from stolen identity tokens may already be done.
This is a problem faced by many organizations. Attackers have shifted to subtle, low profile methods that steal identity and then leverage that identity for deeper access. Most detection tools simply cannot see this type of exploitation until it is too late for prevention.
The key lesson from the BankInfoSecurity article is clear: preventing attackers from gaining a foothold is far more effective than trying to recover after they have already done damage.
If attackers harvest credentials or exfiltrate data unnoticed, you have already lost control of critical assets before you even see a single alarm.
Organizations need to stop thinking about ransomware as an isolated payload problem and start thinking about how attackers get in and what they do once they have access.
This means focusing security investments on tools and strategies that:
These prevention centric strategies reduce the likelihood that attackers ever reach the stage where recovery would even be necessary.
This is where AppGuard plays a transformative role in modern cybersecurity programs.
AppGuard has a proven track record of over ten years in protecting endpoints by enforcing Isolation and Containment at the very core of execution policies. Unlike tools that wait to see malicious behaviour before responding, AppGuard prevents unknown or unauthorized code from executing in the first place.
AppGuard’s approach:
By implementing Isolation and Containment, AppGuard stops threats at the earliest stage and prevents attackers from ever reaching the phase where they can compromise sensitive data.
This method goes beyond Detect and Respond and aligns with the prevention focus the BankInfoSecurity article says organizations urgently need.
The bottom line is that in the evolving threat landscape fewer ransomware cells are relying on file encryption alone. Many are using stolen credentials and infostealers to achieve their goals. Backups and recovery plans may help you get systems back online, but they cannot give back stolen data or erase the risk posed by leaked credentials.
Prevention must take priority over recovery. Stopping threats before they can execute gives modern businesses the strongest possible defense.
If your business is still relying on a Detect and Respond approach, it is time to rethink your strategy.
Talk with us at CHIPS about how AppGuard can help your organization adopt an Isolation and Containment model and protect against modern ransomware threats before they start.
Prevention not recovery is the future of endpoint protection.
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