Report by GuidePoint
GRIT Q3 2026 Ransomware & Cyber Threat Insights Report
Key Findings
Ransomware payment rates fell by more than half year over year.
Ransomware victim volume reached a record high of 2,760 victims in Q3 2026, up 21% from Q2 2026 and 75% from Q3 2025.
Ransomware victims appeared in 115 countries in Q3 2026, up from 108 in Q2 2026 and 90 in Q3 2025.
Active ransomware groups numbered 112 in Q3 2026, a 23% increase from Q2 2026 and a 47% increase from Q3 2025.
Average ransom payments among organizations that paid rose 34% year over year.
The United States accounted for 42% of ransomware victims in Q3 2026.
The Gentlemen accounted for 12.9% of observed ransomware victims in Q3 2026 and Qilin accounted for 12.6%, with the two groups together accounting for about 25% of victims.
Ransomware case volume increased 61% year over year.