Hornetsecurity Survey Finds Ransomware Incidence Fell, but Confidence in Defenses Remains Low
Summary
Hornetsecurity’s 2027 survey of 400 IT and cybersecurity experts found 18% of organizations reported ransomware, down from 24%; 45% lacked confidence in their defenses. Phishing was the leading reported vector, while just 9% felt staff could reliably spot AI-generated l
Key points
- Hornetsecurity surveyed 400 IT and cybersecurity experts in July and August 2026 for its sixth annual ransomware study.
- About 18% of respondents reported their organization had experienced ransomware, down from 24% in the previous report; 45% lacked confidence in their protection strategy.
- Among respondents whose organizations experienced ransomware, 52% cited email or phishing as the attack vector, 27% compromised endpoints, and 7% exploited vulnerabilities.
- The survey found 91% of organizations protect backup storage and 84% have a disaster recovery plan.
- Among ransomware-affected respondents, about 3% said a ransom was paid to recover data.
- Security awareness training was reported by 84% of respondents, up from 74% in the previous report.
- Although 84% said generative AI had heightened concerns about cyberattacks and ransomware, only 9% believed staff could reliably recognize AI-generated phishing or identity spoofing.
Article Details
- Publisher
- Hornetsecurity by Proofpoint
- Report Period
- Survey conducted in July and August 2026
- Scope
- Survey of organisations’ ransomware experiences and protection and recovery measures
- Sample Size
- 400 IT and cybersecurity experts
- Key Statistics
- Around 18% of respondents reported that their organisation experienced a ransomware attack, down from 24% in the previous report.
- Among respondents whose organisations experienced ransomware, 52% cited email or phishing as the attack vector.
- 91% of respondents said their organisation protects backup storage against ransomware.
- 84% said their organisation offers security awareness training, up 10 percentage points from the previous report.
- 84% said generative AI heightened their organisation’s concerns about cyberattacks and ransomware; 9% believed staff could reliably recognise AI-generated phishing or identity spoofing.
- Recommendations
- Coordinate email security, employee awareness, identity and endpoint protection, and backup and recovery measures.
- Keep security awareness, technical safeguards, and security processes current as attack methods evolve.
- Maintain protected backups and effective recovery processes to support data restoration and resumption of operations.
People
Vendors
HornetsecurityHannover, Germany (27 October 2026) – Leading global cybersecurity company Hornetsecurity by Proofpoint has launched its Ransomware Report 2027, revealing that organisations are better prepared for ransomware attacksProofpointHannover, Germany (27 October 2026) – Leading global cybersecurity company Hornetsecurity by Proofpoint has launched its Ransomware Report 2027, revealing that organisations are better prepared for ransomware attacks