Ransomware - Statistics & Facts

Although ransomware still ranks behind other more concerning malware types such as viruses and trojans, it has huge potential for damage - both for businesses and individuals alike. In fact, the annual share of ransomware attacks experienced by organizations worldwide has been on the rise since 2018, peaking at 68.5 percent in 2021.

What is ransomware?

Ransomware is a type of malicious software that threatens to permanently block access to a victim’s data or publish it unless a ransom is paid. While simple ransomware may lock the system in a manner that is easily reversible, more advanced malware uses a technique called crypto-viral extortion. Here the victim's files are encrypted, making them inaccessible after which a ransom payment is demanded in order to decrypt them. In a properly implemented ransomware extortion attack, recovering the files without the decryption key is an intractable problem – and difficult to trace digital currencies such as Bitcoin are used for ransom transactions, making finding and prosecuting the perpetrators a challenge.

Ransomware on the rise

In the United States, the volume and severity of ransomware attacks has significantly increased in recent months. Database files and SQL files are among the most targeted types of files and education and IT are the most targeted types of businesses. In fact, in 2020 68 percent of U.S. organizations admitted to having experienced – and as a result paid the ransom for - ransomware attacks that year. The leading causes of ransomware infections were spam and phishing emails, followed by poor user practices and lack of cyber security training. According to MSPs (Managed service providers), the most commonly experienced strains of ransomware by ransomware attack victims was CryptoLocker, WannaCry and CryptoWall.

The impact of ransomware, prevention, and security solutions

The actual financial damage of the extortion payment – which can be covered via cyber insurance – pales in comparison to a company’s losses of reputation and customers. The most common consequences of ransomware attacks according to victims in the United States are investment in new security technologies, loss of income from downtime and loss of clients. Unsurprisingly, the corporate web security industry has seen an increase in yearly revenue since 2016. This is speculated to reach nearly 8 billion U.S. dollars by 2025. On top of this, the ransomware pool is fast growing, with 327 new families added in 2017 and more recently, 127 in 2020. The most commonly implemented ransomware solutions include security software and employee training. This training may include phishing testing of high-risk employees, as well as online training for all employees.

This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.

Number of global ransomware attacks: 493.33m

Number of newly discovered ransomware families annually: 26

Most commonly encountered type of encryption ransomware in 2021: Stop/Djvu

Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Most common delivery methods and cybersecurity vulnerabilities causing ransomware infections according to MSPs worldwide as of 2020

Cyber Crime & Security

Leading cause of ransomware infection 2020

Annual number of ransomware attacks worldwide from 2017 to 2022 (in millions)

Cyber Crime

Number of ransomware attacks per year 2017-2022

Share of organizations worldwide hit by ransomware attacks in 2022 and 2023, by country

Cyber Security

Organizations hit by ransomware attacks 2022, by country

Recommended statistics

Overview: malware attacks

Basic Statistic Number of malware attacks per year 2015-2022
Number of malware attacks per year 2015-2022
Annual number of malware attacks worldwide from 2015 to 2022 (in billions)
Basic Statistic Malware: most-targeted industries 2020-2021
Malware: most-targeted industries 2020-2021
Global industry sectors most targeted by malware incidents from November 2020 to October 2021
Premium Statistic Share of cyber attacks in worldwide regions 2022, by category
Share of cyber attacks in worldwide regions 2022, by category
Distribution of cyber attacks in selected global regions in 2022, by category
Premium Statistic Leading IT security threats according to cyber security professionals 2021
Leading IT security threats according to cyber security professionals 2021
Most concerning types of cyber threats according to IT security decision makers worldwide as of November 2021
Premium Statistic Potential AI-enabled cyberattacks on companies worldwide 2021
Potential AI-enabled cyberattacks on companies worldwide 2021
Potential scenarios of AI-enabled cyberattacks worldwide as of 2021
Premium Statistic Annual change of human-initiated and bot attacks volume worldwide 2021, by region
Annual change of human-initiated and bot attacks volume worldwide 2021, by region
Year-over-year volume change of human-initiated and automated bot attacks worldwide in the 2nd half 2021, by region
Premium Statistic Level of awareness of key cybercrime terms worldwide in 2019-2022
Level of awareness of key cybercrime terms worldwide in 2019-2022
Share of online adults worldwide who have understanding of key cybercrime terms from 2019 to 2022

Ransomware attacks

Premium Statistic Organizations hit by ransomware attacks 2022, by country
Organizations hit by ransomware attacks 2022, by country
Share of organizations worldwide hit by ransomware attacks in 2022 and 2023, by country
Basic Statistic Number of ransomware attacks per year 2017-2022
Number of ransomware attacks per year 2017-2022
Annual number of ransomware attacks worldwide from 2017 to 2022 (in millions)
Basic Statistic Ransomware victimization rate among businesses worldwide 2018-2022
Ransomware victimization rate among businesses worldwide 2018-2022
Percentage of organizations victimized by ransomware attacks worldwide from 2018 to 2022
Basic Statistic Number of newly added ransomware families 2022
Number of newly added ransomware families 2022
Number of newly discovered ransomware families worldwide from 2015 to 2022
Basic Statistic Leading families of encryption ransomware 2021
Leading families of encryption ransomware 2021
Most commonly encountered families of encryption ransomware in 2021

Vulnerabilities

Premium Statistic Most pressing cyber security issues according to infosec professionals worldwide 2018
Most pressing cyber security issues according to infosec professionals worldwide 2018
Which IT security tasks are you facing the most pressure to address?
Basic Statistic Major operating systems targeted by ransomware according to MSPs 2020
Major operating systems targeted by ransomware according to MSPs 2020
What systems have you seen infected by ransomware?
Basic Statistic Share of MSP clients who experienced a ransomware attacks 2020, by strain
Share of MSP clients who experienced a ransomware attacks 2020, by strain
Which of the following strains of ransomware have affected your clients?
Basic Statistic Leading cause of ransomware infection 2020
Leading cause of ransomware infection 2020
Most common delivery methods and cybersecurity vulnerabilities causing ransomware infections according to MSPs worldwide as of 2020
Premium Statistic Cloud security incidents worldwide 2020, by company size
Cloud security incidents worldwide 2020, by company size
Cloud security incidents worldwide in 2020, by company size

To pay or not to pay

Premium Statistic Outcomes for organizations after ransom payments worldwide 2022
Outcomes for organizations after ransom payments worldwide 2022
Consequences of ransomware attacks for organizations following ransom payments worldwide in 2022
Premium Statistic Share of global businesses victimized by ransomware paying to recover their data 2022
Share of global businesses victimized by ransomware paying to recover their data 2022
Percentage of companies worldwide that paid to recover data compromised in a ransomware attack in 2022
Basic Statistic Share of U.S. organizations that experienced a ransomware attack and paid ransom 2020
Share of U.S. organizations that experienced a ransomware attack and paid ransom 2020
Share of organizations in the United States that experienced a ransomware attack and paid the ransom in 2020
Premium Statistic Organizational data retrieval methods after a ransomware attack 2022
Organizational data retrieval methods after a ransomware attack 2022
Methods of organizations compromised by ransomware to get their encrypted data back as of February 2022

Security solutions market

Premium Statistic Global critical infrastructure cybersecurity market 2020-2030
Global critical infrastructure cybersecurity market 2020-2030
Critical infrastructure cybersecurity market size worldwide in 2020 and 2030 (in billion U.S. dollars)
Premium Statistic Advanced persistent threat global market size 2015-2026
Advanced persistent threat global market size 2015-2026
Revenue from advanced persistent threat (APT) protection market worldwide from 2015 to 2026 (in billion U.S. dollars)
Premium Statistic Corporate web security market size worldwide 2016-2026
Corporate web security market size worldwide 2016-2026
Revenue from corporate web security market from 2016 to 2026 (in billion U.S. dollars)
Premium Statistic Endpoint security market size worldwide 2022-2027
Endpoint security market size worldwide 2022-2027
Forecast revenue from endpoint security market worldwide from 2022 to 2027 (in million U.S. dollars)

Spotlight: Other malware types

Premium Statistic Global malware attack vectors 2018-2022
Global malware attack vectors 2018-2022
Distribution of malware attack vectors worldwide from 2018 to 2022
Premium Statistic Most prevalent malware 2022, by type and region
Most prevalent malware 2022, by type and region
Most frequently detected malware threats in global regions in 2022, by type and region
Premium Statistic Most prevalent banking trojans 2022, by type and region
Most prevalent banking trojans 2022, by type and region
Most frequently detected banking trojans in worldwide regions in 2022, by type
Premium Statistic Most prevalent botnets worldwide in 2021
Most prevalent botnets worldwide in 2021
Most prevalent botnets worldwide in 2021, by type
Premium Statistic Most prevalent banking trojans worldwide in 2022, by type
Most prevalent banking trojans worldwide in 2022, by type
Most frequently detected banking trojans worldwide in 2022, by type
Premium Statistic Most prevalent crypto-mining malware 2022, by type and regions
Most prevalent crypto-mining malware 2022, by type and regions
Most frequently detected crypto-mining malware in worldwide regions 2022, by type
Premium Statistic Top malware received globally via web and e-mail in 2022, by file type
Top malware received globally via web and e-mail in 2022, by file type
Most common malicious file types received globally via web and e-mail in 2022