New research from Check Point Software reveals a cyber threat landscape increasingly defined by ransomware growth, regional concentration of cyber attacks, and rising data exposure linked to enterprise use of GenAI.
In December 2025, organizations globally continued to face sustained cyber pressure, with the average number of cyberattacks per organization per week reaching 2,027, a one percent increase from the previous month, and a nine percent increase from December 2024.
At the same time, ransomware attacks surged sharply, with 945 publicly reported incidents in December, a 60 percent increase from December 2024. Ransomware remains the most disruptive cyber threat globally, driving operational downtime, financial losses, and data extortion across industries. North America accounted for 52 percent of reported ransomware incidents, followed by Europe at 23 percent, reinforcing ransomware’s continued concentration in economically high-value regions.
“December’s data shows that cyber risk is no longer about isolated spikes, but continuous pressure,” says Mark Weir, regional director, UK and Ireland at Check Point Software. “Ransomware continues to scale through industrialized operations, while unmanaged GenAI usage is creating widespread data exposure at the enterprise level. Moving into 2026, organizations must prioritise prevention-first security, real-time AI threat intelligence, and strong governance over how AI tools are used across the business.”
See also:
Ransomware activity surges to record levels
Financial sector hit hard by breaches but ransomware seeks targets elsewhere
Ransomware attacks targeted at weekends and holidays
The education sector remained the most targeted industry globally, with organizations experiencing an average of 4,349 cyber attacks per week in December, a 12 percent year-on-year increase. Large user populations, open digital environments, and aging infrastructure continue to make education organisations prime targets for cyber criminals.
The government sector recorded the second-highest number of weekly cyberattacks per organization, at 2,666, while associations and non-profits recorded the second-highest growth across all industries, with 2,509 attacks per week, representing a 56 percent year-over-year increase. Limited cybersecurity resources and growing digital dependency continue to elevate risk for these sectors.
You can read more on the Check Point blog.
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