Key Takeaways
- Endpoint‑origin ransomware is common: 57 % of surveyed CISOs said their organization suffered a ransomware attack that began on a remote, mobile, or hybrid device in the past 12‑18 months.
- Recovery times are lengthy: Although 83 % of CISOs express confidence in their ability to recover, 57 % needed up to six days and 20 % required as long as two weeks; no respondent reported being able to restore operations within a single day.
- Paying the ransom remains tempting: 58 % of cybersecurity leaders would consider paying cybercriminals to end an attack, driven largely by fear of prolonged downtime.
- Operational downtime is the top impact: 46 % rank downtime as the most significant consequence of ransomware, surpassing data loss or reputational harm.
- Remote recovery capabilities lag: 59 % of organizations feel they must physically possess an endpoint to remediate after an incident, while only 53 % have remote recovery tools in place despite their wide availability.
- Patch management and training are top challenges: Legacy system patching is cited as the second‑most difficult mitigation (42 %), just behind employee awareness training (43 %).
- Endpoint security controls are unreliable: Telemetry from millions of PCs shows critical endpoint security controls fail to operate 20 % of the time, leaving devices vulnerable.
- AI‑powered threats raise the stakes: Both attackers and defenders are leveraging large language models, accelerating vulnerability discovery and outpacing traditional defenses.
Survey Overview and Methodology
The findings come from The Ransomware Reality: Zero Days to Recover, a report published by Absolute Security on May 13, 2026. Independent polling provider Censuswide surveyed 750 enterprise Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) across the United States and the United Kingdom. The sample captures a broad cross‑section of industries and organization sizes, providing a robust snapshot of current ransomware perceptions and experiences. The data were collected over a defined window to ensure relevance to the evolving threat landscape, and the results are presented with accompanying telemetry research from Absolute Security’s Resilience Risk Index.
Prevalence of Endpoint‑Initiated Ransomware
Over the past 12‑18 months, 57 % of respondents reported that their enterprise experienced a ransomware attack that originated on an endpoint device—whether a laptop, tablet, smartphone, or other mobile or hybrid hardware. This statistic underscores the persistent weakness in endpoint defenses, especially as workforces become increasingly distributed. The finding aligns with earlier research indicating that endpoints remain a favored entry point for attackers seeking to bypass network‑level controls.
Impact of Ransomware on Operations
When asked to rank the likely impacts of a ransomware incident, 46 % of CISOs identified operational downtime as the most significant effect, eclipsing concerns about data exfiltration, regulatory fines, or brand damage. Downtime disrupts productivity, delays revenue streams, and can cascade into supply‑chain challenges, making it a top priority for mitigation and rapid response planning.
Confidence Versus Reality in Recovery
A striking “confidence paradox” emerged: 83 % of CISOs said they feel confident in their organization’s ability to bounce back from ransomware, yet the actual recovery timelines tell a different story. Fifty‑seven percent required as long as six days to restore normal operations, while 20 % needed up to two weeks. Notably, not a single CISO claimed the capability to recover within one day, highlighting a gap between perceived readiness and practical resilience.
Consideration of Ransom Payment
Faced with the prospect of extended outages, 58 % of surveyed cybersecurity leaders indicated they would consider paying a ransom to halt an attack. This willingness reflects the pressure to avoid costly downtime and potential data loss, even though paying ransoms carries legal, ethical, and reputational risks, and does not guarantee decryption or future immunity.
Physical Remediation vs. Remote Recovery
Despite the availability of remote recovery tools, 59 % of organizations agree they must take physical possession of an endpoint to remediate and restore it after a ransomware incident. Only 53 % have deployed remote recovery capabilities, suggesting a reliance on outdated, labor‑intensive processes that prolong downtime and increase operational costs. Bridging this gap could significantly improve resilience.
Challenges in Patch Management and Training
Legacy system patching ranks as the second‑most challenging ransomware mitigation tactic, cited by 42 % of CISOs—just one percentage point behind the top challenge, employee awareness training (43 %). The difficulty stems from complex legacy environments, compatibility concerns, and limited resources for timely updates. Simultaneously, fostering a security‑conscious culture remains difficult, as training must be continual, engaging, and measurable to be effective.
Endpoint Security Control Reliability
Telemetry‑based research from millions of PCs revealed that critical endpoint security controls fail to operate 20 % of the time. This failure rate leaves a substantial window of exposure, enabling ransomware to gain a foothold even when security solutions are nominally in place. The statistic reinforces the need for continuous validation, automated health checks, and redundancy in endpoint protections.
The Role of AI‑Powered Threats
The report notes that advanced large language models (LLMs) are being wielded by both attackers and defenders, accelerating the discovery and exploitation of vulnerabilities at speeds that outstrip traditional patch cycles and threat‑intelligence feeds. As AI lowers the barrier for crafting convincing phishing lures, automating exploit development, and evading detection, organizations must augment their defenses with AI‑driven detection, anomaly detection, and rapid response capabilities.
Implications for Cyber Resilience Strategy
Collectively, the data point to a clear imperative: organizations must shift focus from purely preventive measures to robust recovery and continuity capabilities. Investing in automated remote recovery, validating endpoint control health, prioritizing patching of legacy systems, and enhancing employee training are essential steps. Moreover, integrating AI‑enabled threat hunting and response can help close the speed gap between emerging threats and defensive actions.
About Absolute Security
Absolute Security partners with more than 28 leading endpoint device manufacturers, embedding its technology in the firmware of over 600 million devices. Trusted by thousands of global enterprises and licensed across 16 million PC users, the company’s Cyber Resilience Platform ensures secure, seamless connectivity for mobile and hybrid workforces while enabling rapid recovery after cyber disruptions. Additional information is available at www.absolute.com, and the firm can be followed on LinkedIn, X, Facebook, and YouTube.
Contact Information
For media inquiries, please reach out to Joe Franscella at [email protected]. Further details, including the full report and event invitations for Dell Technologies World 2026, can be accessed via the Business Wire release at https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260512727565/en/.
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