Ransomware's Next Chapter: How the Criminal Ecosystem Is Changing
Trend Micro, Thursday, October 22nd, 2026
TrendAI research finds ransomware has become one monetization path in a modular criminal economy built around access.
TrendAI says ransomware has evolved from an encryption-driven attack into one monetization path within a modular criminal economy in which access to victim environments, not the payload, is the core commodity.
Its report, Beyond Encryption: The Evolution of the Ransomware Business Model, examines how the ecosystem has developed since 2022 into an interconnected marketplace where attackers specialize, trade services, resell access, steal data and pursue multiple ways to profit from one compromise.
TrendAI argues organizations need to look beyond the ransomware payload itself.