Comparitech researchers published a new study looking at all tracked ransomware attacks in the month of May 2026. According to the findings, attacks increased by just over three percent since April, but remained relatively low compared to the previous months of the year.
Interestingly, it was found that attacks on the education sector increased significantly from April (up by 54%), while helathcare providers and utilities companies saw the largest decline in attacks (down 21% and 29% respectively).
Key findings for May 2026 include:
- 661 attacks in total — 48 confirmed attacks (confirmed by the entity involved)
- The most prolific ransomware gangs were Qilin (97), The Gentlemen (71), and DragonForce (51)
- Qilin had the most confirmed attacks (9), followed by The Gentlemen (4) and INC (3)
- Nearly 115 TB of data was stolen across all of these attacks
- The US saw the most attacks (272), followed by Canada (31), the United Kingdom (28), and Germany (26)
Additionally, Rebecca Moody, Head of Data Research at Comparitech, commented:
“While we should take some comfort in the fact that attack figures remained low(er) again in May, it’s important to remember that these figures are still incredibly high, particularly when compared to previous years. Furthermore, this slight reprieve isn’t being witnessed across all sectors and illustrates how hackers are often targeting specific sectors at certain times. For example, May saw a spike in the number of attacks being carried out in the education sector. This may not be a coincidence. As schools and teachers look forward to the holidays, hackers likely see this as a great opportunity to worm their way in while everyone’s starting to unwind and maybe isn’t as focused as usual.”
For full details, including a breakdown of most prolific ransomware gangs, the countries most targeted, and some of the most stand-out ransomware attacks of the month, the research can be read here: https://www.comparitech.com/news/ransomware-roundup-may-2026/
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This entry was posted on June 4, 2026 at 1:16 pm and is filed under Commentary with tags Comparitech. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
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May Ransomware Attacks: Education on the Rise and Healthcare on the Decline
Comparitech researchers published a new study looking at all tracked ransomware attacks in the month of May 2026. According to the findings, attacks increased by just over three percent since April, but remained relatively low compared to the previous months of the year.
Interestingly, it was found that attacks on the education sector increased significantly from April (up by 54%), while helathcare providers and utilities companies saw the largest decline in attacks (down 21% and 29% respectively).
Key findings for May 2026 include:
Additionally, Rebecca Moody, Head of Data Research at Comparitech, commented:
“While we should take some comfort in the fact that attack figures remained low(er) again in May, it’s important to remember that these figures are still incredibly high, particularly when compared to previous years. Furthermore, this slight reprieve isn’t being witnessed across all sectors and illustrates how hackers are often targeting specific sectors at certain times. For example, May saw a spike in the number of attacks being carried out in the education sector. This may not be a coincidence. As schools and teachers look forward to the holidays, hackers likely see this as a great opportunity to worm their way in while everyone’s starting to unwind and maybe isn’t as focused as usual.”
For full details, including a breakdown of most prolific ransomware gangs, the countries most targeted, and some of the most stand-out ransomware attacks of the month, the research can be read here: https://www.comparitech.com/news/ransomware-roundup-may-2026/
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This entry was posted on June 4, 2026 at 1:16 pm and is filed under Commentary with tags Comparitech. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.