Ransomware, long considered one of the most destabilizing forms of cybercrime, is showing renewed intensity in 2025. According to recent threat-intelligence tracking, just ten ransomware groups account for thousands of attacks worldwide, underscoring how concentrated—and industrialized—the ecosystem has become.
At the top of the list is Qilin, responsible for 983 recorded attacks, far outpacing its rivals. Once considered a niche operation, Qilin has evolved into a high-volume ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) platform, targeting enterprises, healthcare providers, manufacturers, and public institutions with striking regularity.
Close behind are Akira with 618 attacks and Play with 369, both known for exploiting edge vulnerabilities and misconfigured systems. Analysts say the figures reflect not just technical sophistication but operational discipline: streamlined affiliate programs, rapid victim onboarding, and aggressive data-leak strategies.
The Rise and Fall Signals Within Ransomware Groups
Beyond sheer volume, the data also reveals shifts in momentum. Groups such as SafePay (363 attacks) and Medusa Blog (146 attacks) are showing upward trends, suggesting renewed activity or rebranding efforts—common tactics in an ecosystem shaped by law enforcement pressure and internal betrayals.
Conversely, established names like CLOP (351 attacks) and INC (349 attacks) appear to be losing ground. CLOP, once notorious for mass exploitation of file-transfer software vulnerabilities, has faced sustained disruption from coordinated international crackdowns and infrastructure seizures.
“Ransomware groups now behave less like shadowy hackers and more like adaptive enterprises,” said one cybersecurity analyst who monitors extortion forums. “When pressure rises, they pivot—changing names, tactics, or partners, but rarely disappearing.”
New Players, Familiar Tactics
Mid-tier actors such as Lynx (243 attacks), RansomHub (235 attacks), and Dragon Force (197 attacks) illustrate how new or rebranded groups quickly fill any vacuum left behind. Many borrow code, playbooks, and even negotiation scripts from predecessors, blurring the lines between distinct gangs.
RansomHub, for instance, has gained attention for its public-facing leak site and aggressive timelines, while Dragon Force has focused on mid-sized enterprises with limited cyber defenses. These groups often rely on initial access brokers—specialists who sell stolen credentials or network entry points—highlighting the deeply interconnected nature of cybercrime markets.
Why 2025 Is Becoming a Defining Year
Security experts say the surge is driven by a convergence of factors: persistent vulnerabilities in widely used software, the normalization of remote access tools, and the continued profitability of double-extortion tactics, where data theft is combined with encryption.
The growing availability of real-time intelligence platforms, which track ransomware victims and group activity, has also made the scale of the problem harder to ignore. Each data point represents a disrupted business, a compromised hospital, or a municipality forced offline.
“Ransomware is no longer episodic—it’s systemic,” said a threat-intelligence researcher. “What we’re seeing in 2025 is not a spike but a baseline.”
As governments debate regulation and companies race to strengthen defenses, the numbers tell a stark story: a small cadre of ransomware groups is reshaping the global cyber-risk landscape, one breach at a time.
