Most Organizations Got Hacked Last Year and Paying the Ransom Did Not Always Save Them

The Hackers Had a Great Year, Thanks for Asking

CyberEdge's 2026 Cyberthreat Defense Report surveyed 1,200 IT security professionals across 17 countries and 19 industries (CyberEdge Group, 2026). A total of 81% of organizations experienced at least one cyberattack last year.

The mood about next year is not exactly sunny either. A total of 67% of respondents expect a successful attack in the coming year (CyberEdge Group, 2026).

Paying the Ransom Is Like Tipping the Burglar

Here is where it gets awkward. A total of 64% were hit by ransomware, and 55% paid the ransom. Of those who paid, 39% still failed to recover their data (CyberEdge Group, 2026).

That is more than a third of payers writing a check and getting nothing back. Paying a criminal does not come with a money back guarantee.

The Robots Are Coming for the Job Description

AI is rewriting the security team's career page. A total of 80% of security professionals worry AI could affect their jobs, while 97% of hiring managers are actively seeking AI skilled talent (CyberEdge Group, 2026). Everyone is nervous, and everyone is hiring, which is a very modern kind of chaos.

Defenders are also looking ahead. A total of 94% are beginning to prepare for quantum computing risks, and security budgets rose by an average of 5.6% (CyberEdge Group, 2026).

Paying a criminal does not come with a money back guarantee.