Ransomware in 2026 doesn’t look like it did even a year ago. The biggest shift isn’t just more attacks  — it’s faster  attacks. Cybercriminals are now using AI to scan companies automatically, looking for weak passwords, exposed systems, or outdated software. Once they find an opening, attacks happen in hours instead of weeks . That means the old idea of “we’ll catch it before damage is done” no longer holds up. According to cybersecurity research published in late 2025, the