GuidePoint Security’s Q1 2026 ransomware report documents sustained attack volumes of 150-200 victim posts per week on leak sites, with a measurable shift toward data theft and extortion over encryption, a tactical evolution that reduces attacker complexity while preserving financial leverage. Manufacturing and construction sectors absorb disproportionate impact, driven by operational technology dependencies and historically underdeveloped security programs. The emergence of new groups like ‘The Gentlemen’ signals continued RaaS ecosystem growth, lowering barriers to entry and expanding the threat actor pool available to target organizations across all sectors.