Ransomware

• Ransomware attacks in Europe surged by 55.1% year-over-year during the first four months of 2026, averaging 171 incidents per month. • The manufacturing sector has become the most affected industry as cybercriminals increasingly utilize supply chains as a primary attack path. • Nearly 70% of all activity was concentrated in five nations—Germany, the UK, France, Italy, and Spain—with Germany identified as the most-targeted country.

• At Infosecurity Europe 2026, Cynthia Kaiser, SVP of Halcyon and former FBI cyber deputy director, warned of a significant surge in ransomware attacks driven by AI. • Kaiser highlighted that AI-enhanced ransomware tools are becoming increasingly accessible to cybercriminals via the dark web, lowering the barrier for sophisticated attacks. • This evolution matters as it allows attackers to automate and scale their operations, potentially overwhelming traditional security defenses.

• Fortinet highlighted a 389% increase in ransomware victims, driven by AI-enhanced cybercrime tactics disrupting global operations including in India. • The company's threat intelligence efforts are transforming awareness into actionable insights to counter sophisticated AI-powered attacks. • This surge underscores rising cybersecurity risks for Indian enterprises as AI tools enable more convincing phishing, deepfakes, and automated assaults.

• CrowdStrike identified a LockBit ransomware campaign targeting 15 major US hospitals on April 8, 2026 evening, disrupting patient records in California and New York. • Attackers exfiltrated 200TB of data including 500,000 patient records before encryption; no patient harm reported. • This incident highlights ongoing cybersecurity vulnerabilities in US healthcare, with HIMSS stating 'AI defenses are insufficient against evolving threats.'