Ransomware attacks are set to rise sharply, with victims publicly named on leak sites expected to climb from 5,010 in 2024 to more than 7,000 by the end of 2026, according to QBE. The jump marks a fivefold increase since 2020, when only 1,412 victims appeared on those sites.
QBE’s cyber report explains how attackers exploit weaknesses tied to cloud adoption and AI use to reach sensitive data and disrupt operations.
Government and administrative bodies emerged as the most targeted sector worldwide between August 2023 and August 2025, representing 19% of all incidents. IT and telecommunications followed at 18%. Manufacturing, logistics, and transport combined accounted for 13%.
The spread shows how attackers chase scale and dependency rather than niche targets.
Ransomware attacks bring more than direct financial loss.
They trigger reputational damage, regulatory scrutiny, and litigation risk, not just for the victim but for customers and third-party suppliers tied into the same systems.
According to Beinsure analysts, that knock-on exposure keeps widening as ecosystems grow more connected.
QBE is urging companies to strengthen controls as threats change shape. David Warr, cyber portfolio manager at QBE, said British firms expanding cloud infrastructure and AI tools are also reshaping their risk exposure.
Rapid adoption of AI and cloud platforms increases digital exposure. These tools lift productivity, yet they also give attackers speed and precision.
In 2024, deepfakes featured in nearly 10% of successful cyberattacks, with losses ranging from $250,000 to more than $20 mn. Fraud has learned to scale.
By 2025, global data storage is projected to reach 200 zettabytes across IT systems, utilities, data centres, and connected devices. About half of that data will sit in the cloud, up from 10% in 2015.
During 2024, high-severity cloud alerts jumped 235% year over year. Adoption accelerated. Attacker capability did too.
Cloud platforms now serve as a common entry point, especially through business email compromise attacks that abuse Microsoft 365 and similar services. These attacks often slip past older security controls and stay hidden longer.
Supply chain exposure continues to grow. A breach at single sign-on provider Okta in 2023 exposed 134 business clients and erased roughly $2 bn from its market value.
Generative AI is adding fuel. Use across Europe and North America is expected to surge over the next five years.
ChatGPT now counts 755 mn users, up 33% between December 2024 and February 2025. Microsoft Copilot reports 88 mn active users in 2025. About 78% of organisations deploy AI in at least one business function this year, up from 55% in 2024.
