Ransomware Is Accelerating, But It's Not Because of AI

Black Kite's analysis of April 2025–March 2026 ransomware activity found 7,551 victims (a 25% increase year-over-year) with a marked surge between Oct 2025 and Mar 2026; attacks spanned sectors (manufacturing, professional services, construction), many victims had high externally visible ransomware susceptibility (RSI) scores, supply-chain compromises amplified impact, and roughly 146 active ransomware groups (including new entrants aided by AI tooling) contributed to a democratized and expanding threat landscape.