FBI Identifies Ransomware as Persistent Threat to U.S. Critical Infrastructure
The FBI has reported that ransomware remains a significant threat to U.S. critical infrastructure, with over 2,100 incidents recorded in 2025. These attacks have targeted sectors such as healthcare, energy, and critical manufacturing, posing risks to operations and public service delivery. The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) highlighted that ransomware groups like Akira, Qilin, and Lynx are primarily responsible for these attacks. These groups operate as ransomware-as-a-service, employing double extortion tactics to demand ransoms for both stolen and encrypted data. They exploit compromised credentials to infiltrate systems, disable security processes, and encrypt files. The report also noted that the healthcare sector experienced the highest number of incidents. Despite the significant number of reported cases, the actual impact is likely understated due to unreported downtime and recovery costs. 
