The third quarter of 2026 saw the highest number of ransomware attacks to date, with 2,627 total attacks, according to a new report from Comparitech.
“All four key sectors saw significantly more attacks in Q3 2026 compared to Q2 2026,” the report says. “Education saw the biggest uptick with an increase of 50 percent, followed by healthcare (up 39 percent), government (up 36 percent), and businesses (up 27 percent). Within the business sector, all sub-industries saw a rise in attacks from Q2 to Q3 2026, bar two. Legal firms saw a 26 percent decrease in attacks, while the construction sector saw a minor two percent decline. The industries with the biggest increases were finance (up 72 percent), technology (up 70 percent), businesses operating in the healthcare sector (up 35 percent), and utilities (up 32 percent).”
U.S. organizations were the hardest-hit, accounting for 41% of attacks in Q3 2026.
“1,066 (or 41 percent) of attacks were carried out on US entities,” Comparitech says. “This was a 34 percent increase from Q2 2026. Germany saw the second-highest number of attacks with 121 in total – a 22 percent increase from Q2 2026 (99). Canada (103) and Italy (86) followed and both saw increases compared to Q2 2026 (four and 32 percent, respectively). But it was fifth-place India that saw one of the biggest increases in attacks, rising by 116 percent from 37 in Q2 2026 to 80 in Q3 2026. Argentina also saw a significant rise in attacks with 45 noted in Q3 2026, compared to 18 in Q2 2026 (a 150 percent increase).”
The Qilin and Gentlemen ransomware gangs led the pack, with each launching more than 300 attacks.
“Qilin continued to dominate in Q3 2026 with 357 attacks in total, but was closely followed by The Gentlemen with 342 attacks,” the researchers write. “Both groups increased their attacks by similar amounts. Qilin attacks rose 24 percent compared to last quarter, and The Gentlemen attacks rose 29 percent. Bigger increases were seen by Clop (up 4,700 percent from one attack in Q2 2026 to 48 attacks in Q3 2026). DireWolf upped its attacks by 1,450 percent and Rhysida by 200 percent. In contrast, Akira’s attacks declined by 23 percent and LockBit’s by 51 percent. Qilin and The Gentlemen had the most confirmed attacks with 27 and 26, respectively.”
Comparitech has the story: https://www.comparitech.com/news/ransomware-roundup-q3-2026-stats-on-attacks-ransoms-and-active-gangs/
