AI makes ransomware smarter, people remain the target
The Proofpoint AI-Era Ransomware Report 2026 shows that 65% of affected organisations state that AI makes ransomware attacks more effective through convincing phishing, impersonation, and password theft. Attacks increasingly start via human interaction rather than technical vulnerabilities, while 66% of victims also lost sensitive data.
Notably, 58% paid the ransom, but 22% were subsequently extorted again. The conclusion: ransomware has evolved from a malware problem into an identity and trust problem, where protecting people, identities, and communication is more important than ever.
Read the ProofPoint article for more information.