In an article recapping an expert discussion, De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB) describes ransomware as a global commercial ecosystem with specialized marketplaces, service providers and business models. Artificial intelligence is helping criminals improve phishing and scale attacks, while defenders use the same technology to identify suspicious activity. DNB cyber expert Martijn Knapen estimated that ransomware causes tens of billions in global losses each year, including operational disruption, recovery costs and lost revenue. As stronger backups reduce the effectiveness of file encryption, criminals are increasingly stealing sensitive data and threatening disclosure. Professor Anja Shortland advised organizations not to pay in data breach cases because payment does not ensure deletion, while decisions involving encrypted systems may depend on operational continuity, available backups and risks to life. The discussion emphasized basic controls, including timely software updates, unique passwords, two-step verification, regular backups and stronger scrutiny of messages requesting action.
2026-09-23De Nederlandsche Bank
De Nederlandsche Bank assesses ransomware’s professionalization and shift toward data theft
De Nederlandsche Bank describes ransomware as a professional global industry that is using artificial intelligence to scale attacks and increasingly shifting from file encryption to data theft. DNB estimates global losses at tens of billions each year and emphasizes backups, updates, unique passwords, two-step verification and staff vigilance as core defenses.