Ransomware Surges 50 Percent in 2025: Why Detect and Respond Fails

Ransomware has never been more dangerous or more relentless. According to a recent report, publicly disclosed ransomware attacks rose by almost 50 percent in 2025 compared to the previous year, reaching a record high of 1,174 incidents worldwide.

The findings in the BlackFog 2025 State of Ransomware Report illustrate that cybercriminals are not slowing down, and traditional security defenses are struggling to keep pace with modern threats.

This surge in ransomware is not an anomaly. It is the result of a shifting threat landscape where attackers are constantly innovating, weaponizing new tactics like automation and artificial intelligence to outmaneuver outdated security approaches. Widespread adoption of ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) models and the increased number of threat actors mean that even small and midsize organizations are now at risk.

In this post we break down what this trend means for business owners and why it is critical to move beyond the old detect-and-respond security model to a more proactive, prevention-focused approach with solutions like AppGuard.

What the 2025 Ransomware Spike Means

The data is stark. Last year saw a 49 percent year-over-year increase in ransomware incidents, nearly quadruple the number of attacks from just five years ago. And behind these numbers is a deeper story:

• More Ransomware Groups Than Ever Before: The report revealed 130 ransomware groups carried out attacks in 2025, including 52 new groups that emerged during the year. This makes the threat ecosystem more fragmented and harder to track.
• AI-Enabled Attacks Are Emerging: Researchers identified attackers using AI tools to automate reconnaissance, exploitation, and data theft activities. AI is now being used to scale operations and slip past traditional defenses.
• Sensitive Sectors Are Heavily Targeted: Healthcare remained the most frequently attacked industry, accounting for about 22 percent of disclosed ransomware attacks. Attacks against vital services can disrupt care delivery and compromise patient data.
• Underreporting Masks the True Scope: Nearly 86 percent of ransomware attacks go unreported, based on dark-web leak site data. This suggests the real number of incidents is significantly higher than public disclosures show.

These factors represent more than just an increase in volume. They highlight how ransomware has evolved into a persistent, multifaceted business disruption problem. Attackers are not just encrypting files anymore; they are stealing data, locking systems, and targeting organizations in ways that maximize pressure and damage.

Why Traditional Security Models Are Failing

For years, many organizations have relied on security tools that focus primarily on detecting threats and responding after the fact. These tools use signatures, heuristics, and alerts to identify suspicious activity, triggering alarms once a breach is underway.

But as the threat landscape evolves, this approach shows critical weaknesses:

• Detection Takes Time: By the time a tool raises an alert, ransomware may have already encrypted files, spread across networks, or exfiltrated sensitive data. Modern attacks can move with astonishing speed, leaving defenders always a step behind.
• Stealth Tactics Evade Signatures: Ransomware variants increasingly use polymorphism, AI-guided behavior, and fileless techniques that evade legacy detection systems altogether.
• Minimal Containment: Traditional antivirus and detection platforms lack robust isolation capabilities. Even after a breach is spotted, containment is difficult and slow, often relying on manual interventions that cost precious time.

The bottom line is that traditional detect-and-respond strategies are inherently reactive. They assume threats will get inside and then hope to catch them. With ransomware increasing nearly 50 percent just last year, that assumption is no longer tenable.

Moving to Isolation and Containment

Prevention and rapid containment must be the foundation of modern endpoint security. Rather than waiting to identify a threat, a proactive model isolates suspicious behavior the moment it appears, preventing malware from executing or spreading.

That is where AppGuard stands apart:

• Proven Track Record: AppGuard has protected critical endpoints for over a decade, delivering unmatched protection against ransomware and other advanced threats, long before commercial availability.
• Isolation and Containment First: AppGuard’s approach stops threats at the source by isolating potentially malicious processes before they can cause harm. This prevents attacks from escalating, even if the threat was previously unknown.
• Reduces Business Disruption: With AppGuard, organizations experience fewer outages, less data encryption, and reduced risk of expensive ransom demands and recovery costs.

Unlike legacy tools that wait to detect a threat and then respond, AppGuard actively prevents execution of harmful activity. That shift from reactive to proactive security is critical in today’s threat environment.

Take Action Now

Ransomware is no longer a future concern. It is happening now and it is growing more sophisticated each year. With attacks up nearly 50 percent in 2025, business owners cannot afford to rely solely on detect-and-respond security tools that let threats execute before action begins.

If you are serious about protecting your organization, your customers, and your bottom line, it is time to adopt a prevention-first security strategy.

Talk with us at CHIPS to learn how AppGuard can safeguard your business. Our team will help you understand how Isolation and Containment stops ransomware and advanced threats before they disrupt your operations. Do not wait until your organization becomes the next headline.

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