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Black Kite Releases 2025 Ransomware Report, Revealing 123% Increase in Ransomware Attacks Over Two Years

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1 year ago

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New research finds dozens of new bad actors and growing unpredictability of attacks

BOSTON, May 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Black Kite, the leader in third-party cyber risk intelligence, today announced its newest report, 2025 Ransomware Report: How Ransomware Wars Threaten Third-Party Cyber Ecosystems, which provides a deep analysis into evolving ransomware trends and threats. The report found that threats have escalated with more actors, less predictability, and deeper entanglement in supply chains, underscoring an urgent need for organizations to implement intelligence-driven defenses and proactive vendor monitoring.

“Ransomware has evolved, not in sophistication but in strategy,” said Ferhat Dikbiyik, Black Kite. “Since the fall of LockBit and AlphaV ransomware syndicates, the cybercriminal landscape has been defined by chaos and recalibration, with dozens of new actors that are unpredictable in how, where, and why. We are entering a new era of ransomware where the growth in victim count signals more than just an activity surge. There is a deeper shift in how ransomware groups operate and who they target, with small and mid-sized businesses becoming the new frontline. As the barriers are now lowered with less sophisticated but effective actors entering the field, organizations need to understand their cyber ecosystem risk by shifting their cybersecurity posture from visibility to anticipation and response to resilience.”

Between April 2024 and March 2025, ransomware attacks escalated with unpredictable campaigns across a wide range of industries. As uncovered by Black Kite’s Research & Intelligence Team (BRITE), the number of publicly disclosed victims saw a 25% increase from the previous year. This follows a steep rise in the previous period with an 81% surge, amounting to a 123% increase over two years. The year also saw a noticeable uptick in attacks against small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) due to their less robust cybersecurity defenses and lower risks of retaliation, and a rise in supply chain warfare with attackers focused on third-party vendors where just one compromised provider can disrupt dozens to hundreds of downstream organizations. These incidents, often called silent breaches, can go unnoticed until their ripple effects halt operations across industries.

Leveraging data and machine learning, Black Kite’s Ransomware Susceptibility Index® (RSI™) proved to be a critical signal. A numerical score between 0.0 and 1.0, with a higher score representing greater susceptibility to a ransomware attack, RSI goes beyond cyber risk metrics and provides a composite score that incorporates technical indicators and intrinsic risk factors. In fact, for those with RSI above 0.8, nearly half (46%) were attacked, and most organizations showed rising RSI trends well before a breach.

The report’s key findings include:

Publicly disclosed ransomware victims climbed to 6,046, a 24% increase year over year, and more than doubled since 202352 entirely new groups emerged in the last year, resulting in 96 active ransomware groupsUnder-resourced, understaffed, and underprepared, SMBs ($4M–$8M) were the most frequently targetedRansomware was responsible for 67% of known third-party breaches46% of organizations with RSI greater than 0.8 experienced ransomware attacksWith smaller, less sophisticated operators that often lack the infrastructure to run complex extortion operations, ransom payment values declined by 35%, but the overall impact has widened

Ransomware is no longer dominated by large syndicates. Today’s organizations must contend against smaller groups that have less experience but the same intent – disrupt, extort, and repeat. While the tactics lack the sophistication of their predecessors and the targets are smaller, the volume and unpredictability of this new era of ransomware presents a new set of challenges. Organizations must also defend against AI-driven ransomware that enables attackers to bypass existing security systems and could evade detection, like analyzing EDR logs or monitoring incident response communications to adjust ransom demands.

Access the full report here.

Methodology
The findings in this report are the result of a comprehensive year-long investigation conducted by the Black Kite Research & Intelligence Team (BRITE), covering the period between April 1, 2024 and March 31, 2025. The methodology combines continuous monitoring of ransomware operations with detailed victim analysis and dark web intelligence gathering:

BRITE monitored activity from over 150 ransomware groups, tracking their leak sites, extortion posts, and public disclosures. A group was considered “active” if it published at least one victim within the last 12 months. By March 2025, 96 groups met this threshold.A total of 6,046 victims were identified through leak site monitoring, cross-validated with open-source intelligence and internal telemetry. For each victim, BRITE analysts determined industry classification using NAICS codes, headquarters location by country, and estimated company size based on publicly available financials or trusted databases. BRITE also leveraged the Black Kite platform to assess each victim’s cybersecurity posture before and after the incident, helping to identify patterns in susceptibility and exposure.To complement leak site tracking, BRITE actively monitored ransomware blogs, Telegram channels, and dark web forums to identify group narratives, affiliate activity, and coordination patterns. This enabled the team to detect new groups quickly and contextualize victim disclosures beyond surface-level postings.

About Black Kite
Black Kite gives organizations a comprehensive, real-time view into cyber ecosystem risk so they can make informed risk decisions and improve business resilience while continuously monitoring more vendors, partners, and suppliers in an ever-changing digital landscape. Through an automated process, and a combination of threat, business and risk information, Black Kite provides cyber risk intelligence that goes beyond a simple risk score or rating. Black Kite serves more than 3,000 customers in a wide range of industries and has received numerous industry awards and recognition from customers.

Learn more at www.blackkite.com, or on the Black Kite blog.

Media Contact:
Michelle Kearney
Hi-Touch PR
443-857-9468
kearney@hi-touchpr.com

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ST Engineering iDirect and MBSat Partner to Build Next-Generation Sovereign Connectivity Services Across Oman and the Middle East

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4 hours ago

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October 25, 2026

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Intuition ground system selected to support MBSat’s planned 2027 service launch, enabling accelerated deployment, dynamic resource management and scalable service growth

HERNDON, Va., Oct. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — ST Engineering iDirect today announced a strategic partnership with Mohammed Al Barwani Satellite Company (MBSat), part of Mohammed Al Barwani Group, to provide the ground system technology foundation for MBSat’s next-generation satellite gateway and network operations across Oman and the wider Middle East region. Intuition will provide a flexible, software-defined foundation to support sovereign connectivity services, enabling efficient service deployment, dynamic resource management and scalable network operations.

Intuition will deliver a turnkey ground segment solution that accelerates deployment, simplifies operations and gives MBSat the flexibility to scale services as demand grows. The software-defined platform enables dynamic resource management, service automation and seamless integration with existing and future operational systems. The solution also includes Ka-band gateway infrastructure, service provisioning and management capabilities, open API integration frameworks, training and full-lifecycle support. Together, these capabilities will help MBSat launch and operate services efficiently while adapting to evolving market requirements.

The network will leverage capacity from MB Sat-1, a sovereign MicroGEO satellite, with planned service launch in 2027, to support flexible, scalable connectivity services across the region.

The partnership reflects growing investment in sovereign communications infrastructure across the Middle East as operators seek greater control over service delivery, network expansion and long-term technology evolution.

“This partnership represents an important milestone in our efforts to build an advanced satellite communications platform in Oman and the region,” said Ammar Al Rawahi, General Manager, MBSat. “Through our collaboration with ST Engineering iDirect, we are establishing the technical infrastructure required to launch services efficiently, respond to evolving customer needs and expand into new markets, supporting the sustainable long-term growth of our business.”

“We are providing MBSat with a flexible, software-defined ground platform that integrates with its existing operational environment,” said Sridhar Kuppanna, Chief Executive Officer, ST Engineering iDirect. “This enables more efficient service deployment and operations today, with the flexibility to scale, introduce new capabilities and evolve as requirements change.”

About ST Engineering iDirect

ST Engineering iDirect, a subsidiary of ST Engineering, is a global leader in satellite communications, providing technology and solutions that enable its customers to expand their business, differentiate their services and optimize their networks. Through its portfolio of ground infrastructure, intelligent networking and advanced satellite communications solutions, the company supports operators, service providers, governments and enterprises worldwide.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/st-engineering-idirect-and-mbsat-partner-to-build-next-generation-sovereign-connectivity-services-across-oman-and-the-middle-east-302918467.html

SOURCE ST Engineering iDirect

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ST Engineering iDirect and MBSat Partner to Build Next-Generation Sovereign Connectivity Services Across Oman and the Middle East

Published

4 hours ago

on

October 25, 2026

By

Intuition ground system selected to support MBSat’s planned 2027 service launch, enabling accelerated deployment, dynamic resource management and scalable service growth

HERNDON, Va., Oct. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — ST Engineering iDirect today announced a strategic partnership with Mohammed Al Barwani Satellite Company (MBSat), part of Mohammed Al Barwani Group, to provide the ground system technology foundation for MBSat’s next-generation satellite gateway and network operations across Oman and the wider Middle East region. Intuition will provide a flexible, software-defined foundation to support sovereign connectivity services, enabling efficient service deployment, dynamic resource management and scalable network operations.

Intuition will deliver a turnkey ground segment solution that accelerates deployment, simplifies operations and gives MBSat the flexibility to scale services as demand grows. The software-defined platform enables dynamic resource management, service automation and seamless integration with existing and future operational systems. The solution also includes Ka-band gateway infrastructure, service provisioning and management capabilities, open API integration frameworks, training and full-lifecycle support. Together, these capabilities will help MBSat launch and operate services efficiently while adapting to evolving market requirements.

The network will leverage capacity from MB Sat-1, a sovereign MicroGEO satellite, with planned service launch in 2027, to support flexible, scalable connectivity services across the region.

The partnership reflects growing investment in sovereign communications infrastructure across the Middle East as operators seek greater control over service delivery, network expansion and long-term technology evolution.

“This partnership represents an important milestone in our efforts to build an advanced satellite communications platform in Oman and the region,” said Ammar Al Rawahi, General Manager, MBSat. “Through our collaboration with ST Engineering iDirect, we are establishing the technical infrastructure required to launch services efficiently, respond to evolving customer needs and expand into new markets, supporting the sustainable long-term growth of our business.”

“We are providing MBSat with a flexible, software-defined ground platform that integrates with its existing operational environment,” said Sridhar Kuppanna, Chief Executive Officer, ST Engineering iDirect. “This enables more efficient service deployment and operations today, with the flexibility to scale, introduce new capabilities and evolve as requirements change.”

About ST Engineering iDirect

ST Engineering iDirect, a subsidiary of ST Engineering, is a global leader in satellite communications, providing technology and solutions that enable its customers to expand their business, differentiate their services and optimize their networks. Through its portfolio of ground infrastructure, intelligent networking and advanced satellite communications solutions, the company supports operators, service providers, governments and enterprises worldwide.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/st-engineering-idirect-and-mbsat-partner-to-build-next-generation-sovereign-connectivity-services-across-oman-and-the-middle-east-302918467.html

SOURCE ST Engineering iDirect

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Global Security & Technology Summit Unveils Month-Long Program of Activities Ahead of December Event

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11 hours ago

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October 24, 2026

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RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Oct. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Organizing Committee of the Global Security & Technology Summit (GSTS) held an introductory session today at the Ministry of Interior’s headquarters in Riyadh, bringing together representatives from the government, private, and nonprofit sectors to introduce the program of activities leading up to the summit. The upcoming summit will be held in Riyadh under the patronage of HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, under the supervision of HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Minister of Interior, and organized by the Ministry of Interior in cooperation with Tuwaiq Academy.

During the session, the Organizing Committee presented the comprehensive GSTS program, comprising three key components: GSTS Month, running from November 1 to 30, 2026; the Global Security & Innovation Fair (SAIF), taking place from November 24 to 26, 2026; and the main Summit, scheduled for December 18 to 20, 2026, in Riyadh. Together, these events form an integrated program designed to advance security and technology innovation, strengthen national capabilities, and foster international cooperation.

GSTS Month will feature working groups, boot camps, training programs, knowledge-sharing sessions, and technical workshops across Saudi Arabia’s 13 administrative regions, delivered both in person and remotely in collaboration with specialized entities. The month-long program aims to develop national capabilities, identify emerging talent, enrich knowledge-sharing opportunities, and equip professionals with the knowledge and skills needed to develop innovative solutions to future security and technology challenges.

The main Summit will bring together global leaders, decision-makers, experts, and innovators to explore the future of security and technology, promote the integration of advanced technologies within the security sector, strengthen national capabilities, support innovation, and foster international cooperation, further positioning the Kingdom as a global hub for security and technology.

Showcasing the latest technological breakthroughs and security solutions, the summit will bring together government entities, private sector organizations, academic institutions, and research centers to facilitate knowledge exchange and collaboration across key fields, including cybersecurity, artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), smart security solutions, emerging technologies, and crisis management. The program will also feature main sessions, specialized discussions, and interactive exhibitions. Registration is available at gsts.sa.

Advisor to HRH the Minister of Interior and Chairman of the GSTS Organizing Committee, Ahmed Altowayan, stated that the summit builds on Saudi Arabia’s efforts to establish an advanced security and technology ecosystem focused on knowledge and innovation, keeping pace with rapid developments and future challenges.

Mr. Altowayan noted that the summit is a global platform for strengthening cooperation and exchanging expertise, anticipating future developments in security and technology, and developing strategic partnerships and innovative solutions that enhance the efficiency and readiness of security systems.

Vice Chairman of the GSTS Organizing Committee, Eng. Abdulaziz Alhammadi, said that the summit will offer a range of integrated programs and activities focused on enhancing national skills, encouraging innovation, and supporting international cooperation.

He added that GSTS Month will help build national capabilities, discover talent, and develop skills, with SAIF providing a platform for innovators and researchers from around the world to showcase leading technological solutions, while the main Summit will bring together leaders and experts to discuss the future of security and technology and explore new strategic partnership opportunities.

SAIF will take place at the Riyadh International Convention & Exhibition Center, bringing together innovators, researchers, technology talents, and industry experts from around the world to showcase promising innovations and projects across 14 fields of technology and innovation. The fair will provide opportunities to engage with project owners, including students, graduates, and entrepreneurs, and explore the different stages of innovation development through interactive zones, panel discussions on emerging security and innovation trends, and knowledge-sharing workshops led by specialists. Visitor registration is open to participants from within and outside the Kingdom through saifair.sa.

The introductory session also featured contributions from representatives of government, private, and nonprofit sector entities, alongside members of the media. Discussions focused on developing national capabilities in security and technology, strengthening students’ technical expertise, translating scientific research into practical solutions, and supporting Saudi companies in developing security and technology solutions and advancing digital transformation.

Organized by the Ministry of Interior in cooperation with Tuwaiq Academy, GSTS is produced by Tahaluf, with the Ministry of Education serving as Strategic Scientific Partner, Tahakom as Founding Partner, and Elm as Principal Partner.

Registration for participants from within and outside the Kingdom is available at gsts.sa.

Click here to view the media kit. 

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