Ransomware victim numbers hit an all-time high

The number of ransomware victims reached an all-time high with more than 1,600 in Q4 2024 alone according to the latest GuidePoint Research and Intelligence Team's (GRIT) annual Ransomware and Cyber Threat Report.

The number of attackers peaked too with a 40 percent year-on-year increase in active threat groups. GRIT identified more than 88 total active threat groups in 2024, including 40 newly observed adversaries.

"The GRIT 2025 Ransomware and Cyber Threat Report reveals the resilience and persistence of the ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) model, highlighting the difficulty of disrupting it," says Jason Baker, lead threat analyst at GuidePoint Security. "From major law enforcement disruptions to group shakeups and new behavior patterns, 2024 was at times a chaotic year for threat actors -- yet ransomware activity and new groups continue to proliferate. Well-resourced defenders, active vulnerability management, attack surface awareness and actionable intelligence remain critical to mitigating information security risks in 2025."

The United States remains the top geographic target for ransomware attacks. In 2024, more than half (52 percent) of ransomware victims were based in the US. The manufacturing industry is most heavily impacted by ransomware, followed by the technology and retail/wholesale sectors. Interestingly, despite several high-profile attacks in 2024, the healthcare sector dropped out of the top three most affected industries by the end of the year.

The report also notes an average of 110 Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs) published per day, underscoring the overwhelming volume and velocity of information which cybersecurity teams are facing. Almost 40,000 CVEs were reported in 2024, a 43 percent increase from 2023. Nearly 44 percent of vulnerabilities were rated ‘High’ or ‘Critical’ severity. However, threat actors continue to rely on historical vulnerabilities from preceding years.

"Throughout the year, we also witnessed multiple instances of significant international law enforcement operations that dealt heavy blows to various threat actors and their infrastructures," Baker adds. "While the fight is far from over, the enduring effects of these law enforcement campaigns suggest that we're developing more effective and sustainable strategies to combat our adversaries -- and we anticipate continued progress in 2025."

You can download the full report from the GuidePoint site.

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