Ransomware Reality: Business Confidence Is High, Preparedness Is Low
Category:Industry News / Research & Tools
CrowdStrike’s State of Ransomware survey highlights a widening confidence gap: while half of 1,100 leaders believe they’re “very well prepared,” 78% were attacked in the last year and only 22% restored within 24 hours. 83% of paying victims suffered repeat attacks and 93% saw data theft despite payment. With AI accelerating intrusion speed and social engineering, average downtime costs reach ~$1.7M per event, underscoring the need for machine‑speed defense.
CORTEX Protocol Intelligence Assessment
Business Impact: Overconfidence in ransomware readiness masks material business risk—extended downtime, data theft, and recovery delays. Technical Context: AI‑assisted intrusion acceleration compresses response windows; legacy playbooks and manual detection are insufficient.
Strategic Intelligence Guidance
- Adopt AI‑native EDR/XDR with automated containment.
- Exercise BCDR quarterly; measure RTO/RPO against ransomware scenarios.
- Implement immutable backups and staged recovery tests.
- Instrument lateral movement detections and service account hygiene.
Vendors
Threats
Targets
Impact
Financial:$1.7M avg downtime per incident
Intelligence Source: Ransomware Reality: Business Confidence Is High, Preparedness Is Low | Oct 22, 2025