Ransomware Attacks Remain Elevated in Q1 2026, Driven by Consolidation Among Top Threat Groups
Ransomware activity in the first quarter of 2026 sustained historically high levels, with 2,122 organizations listed on data leak sites (DLS) the second-highest Q1 total on record. According to Check Point Research’s State of Ransomware Q1 2026 report, the threat landscape is undergoing a structural shift, with a smaller number of groups now responsible for the majority of attacks.
The top 10 ransomware groups accounted for 71% of all victims, a sharp increase from the fragmented ecosystem seen in 2025. Qilin retained its position as the most active group for the third consecutive quarter, claiming 338 victims, while LockBit re-emerged as a major player with 163 victims, signaling a recovery from 2024 law enforcement disruptions. Other prominent groups, including Akira and the rapidly rising The Gentlemen, contributed to the concentrated threat environment.
A key trend in Q1 was the access-driven nature of attacks, with groups like The Gentlemen leveraging pre-compromised network access to execute rapid, large-scale campaigns. Unlike traditional ransomware operators, The Gentlemen targeted APAC and Latin America, deviating from the U.S.-centric focus of most groups only 13% of its victims were U.S.-based, compared to the ecosystem average of nearly 50%. This shift suggests attackers are increasingly exploiting regions where access is already established rather than pursuing high-value geographies.
Geographic targeting varied significantly among groups. While the U.S. remained the most affected country (49.6% of victims), anomalies emerged Thailand accounted for 10.8% of victims, largely due to The Gentlemen’s operations. Meanwhile, Play ransomware maintained a hyper-focused approach, directing 85.1% of its attacks at U.S. organizations.
Industries such as manufacturing, healthcare, and business services continued to bear the brunt of attacks, reflecting their operational complexity and sensitivity to downtime. The report also noted that LockBit’s resurgence included a strategic shift historically U.S.-focused, the group diversified its targets across Europe and Latin America, likely to mitigate law enforcement risks.
With fewer, more capable groups dominating the landscape, ransomware campaigns are becoming more organized, scalable, and difficult to disrupt. The consolidation of power among top threat actors underscores a growing challenge for defenders, as attackers exploit weak points in network infrastructure, cloud environments, and access pathways.
Source: https://gbhackers.com/q1-2026-ransomware-attacks/
LockBit Ltd cybersecurity rating report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/lockbit
PLAYSTUDIOS cybersecurity rating report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/playstudios
"id": "LOCPLA1778660727",
"linkid": "lockbit, playstudios",
"type": "Ransomware",
"date": "1/2026",
"severity": "100",
"impact": "5",
"explanation": "Attack threatening the organization's existence"{'affected_entities': [{'industry': ['Manufacturing',
'Healthcare',
'Business Services'],
'location': ['United States',
'Thailand',
'Europe',
'Latin America',
'APAC']}],
'attack_vector': 'Pre-compromised network access',
'data_breach': {'data_encryption': 'Yes (ransomware encryption)',
'data_exfiltration': 'Yes (listed on data leak sites)'},
'date_detected': '2026-03-31',
'date_publicly_disclosed': '2026-04-01',
'description': 'Ransomware activity in the first quarter of 2026 sustained '
'historically high levels, with 2,122 organizations listed on '
'data leak sites (DLS) the second-highest Q1 total on record. '
'The threat landscape is undergoing a structural shift, with a '
'smaller number of groups now responsible for the majority of '
'attacks. The top 10 ransomware groups accounted for 71% of '
'all victims, with Qilin, LockBit, Akira, and The Gentlemen '
'being the most prominent. Attacks were access-driven, '
'targeting regions like APAC and Latin America, with '
'industries such as manufacturing, healthcare, and business '
'services most affected.',
'impact': {'data_compromised': 'Yes',
'operational_impact': 'High (due to sensitivity to downtime)'},
'initial_access_broker': {'entry_point': 'Pre-compromised network access'},
'lessons_learned': 'Ransomware campaigns are becoming more organized, '
'scalable, and difficult to disrupt due to consolidation '
'among top threat groups. Attackers are exploiting weak '
'points in network infrastructure, cloud environments, and '
'access pathways.',
'motivation': 'Financial gain',
'post_incident_analysis': {'root_causes': 'Consolidation among top threat '
'groups, exploitation of '
'pre-compromised access, and '
'targeting of regions with '
'established access pathways.'},
'ransomware': {'data_encryption': 'Yes',
'data_exfiltration': 'Yes',
'ransomware_strain': ['Qilin',
'LockBit',
'Akira',
'The Gentlemen',
'Play']},
'references': [{'date_accessed': '2026-04-01',
'source': 'Check Point Research'}],
'threat_actor': ['Qilin', 'LockBit', 'Akira', 'The Gentlemen', 'Play'],
'title': 'Ransomware Attacks Remain Elevated in Q1 2026, Driven by '
'Consolidation Among Top Threat Groups',
'type': 'Ransomware'}