7 Ransomware Predictions for 2025: From AI Threats to New Strategies

This report forecasts 2025 ransomware trends: a surge in AI-driven social engineering (especially vishing) to enable initial access; a shift to low-volume, high-impact campaigns emphasizing data exfiltration over encryption; continued targeting of manufacturing, healthcare, education, and energy; increased transparency driven by SEC reporting rules; rising payouts fueled by evolving RaaS specialization and profit-sharing; growth in high-volume exfiltration-only incidents; and strengthened international collaboration between law enforcement and private industry.