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   `An all-time high': Number of ransomware groups exploded in 2025 as victim   
   growth rate doubled - with Qilin dominating the landscape   
      
   By Benedict Collins published 2 hours ago   
      
   Ransomware broke records in 2025   
      
       Ransomware groups reached record highs in 2025, new report claims   
       Searchlight says the number of victims also broke previous records   
       The victim growth rate has doubled since 2024   
      
   If you thought the threat of ransomware was getting worse - you're right, as   
   new findings in the Searchlight Ransomware H2 2025 report has laid bare the   
   scale of the problem.   
      
   The number of active ransomware groups has reached levels never seen before,   
   with the growth rate of victims doubling since 2024.  New, more complex   
   ransomware groups are splintering from the big names, creating a highly   
   competitive market for victims.   
      
   Ransomware in 2025 breaks records   
      
   The victim count in 2025 reached a total of 7,458 - more than any previous   
   year. But this only represents the number of businesses and organizations that   
   disclosed they had suffered a ransomware attack. The US took the brunt of the   
   attacks, with 1,536 victims disclosing attacks in 2025, followed by Canada with   
   182, Germany with 167, and the United Kingdom with 131.   
      
   The true number of victims, such as customers or users whose data was stolen   
   during an attack in 2025 and leaked or sold on the dark web, is likely in the   
   millions.   
      
   124 unique active ransomware groups were operating in 2025, with 73 of these   
   being new groups entering the landscape. But one group remains as the most   
   prolific threat - Qilin. This ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) group offers its   
   malware for purchase, letting affiliate hackers attack organizations with a   
   portion of the ransom payment paid back to the Qilin operators.   
      
   By providing an advanced ransomware kit at an affordable price, the barrier for   
   entry into the highly profitable world of ransomware is significantly reduced.   
   The Akira group, which also operates as a RaaS group, claimed the second   
   largest pool of numbers with 384.   
      
   Supergroups also emerged in 2025 - collaborative operations between ransomware   
   groups who pool their specialized skills in order to attack bigger targets. The   
   joint operations by Scattered Spider, LAPSUS$ and ShinyHunters is the best   
   example of a supergroup, with this trio launching a RaaS operation as a result   
   of their collaboration.   
      
   One of the main drivers in the growth of ransomware attacks in 2025 was the   
   availability of AI. Many groups have utilized AI in crafting social engineering   
   campaigns and phishing kits that are highly convincing and can bring an   
   organization to its knees with just a single click.   
      
   "2025 was a record year for ransomware, driven by a professionalized   
   ecosystem that remains devastatingly effective despite increased pressure from   
   global law enforcement. While we saw a very slight dip in victim numbers in the   
   second half of the year, this should not be interpreted as a victory," said   
   Luke Donovan, Head of Threat Intelligence, Searchlight Cyber.   
      
      
   https://www.techradar.com/pro/security/an-all-time-high-number-of-ransomware-gr   
   oups-exploded-in-2025-as-victim-growth-rate-doubled-with-qilin-dominating-the-l   
   andscape   
      
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