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• Dell'Oro group issues latest Broadband Access & Home Networking 5-Year Forecast Report
• Amongst its findings was the focus of Chinese telcos on FTTR (fiber to the room) and 50Gbps PON deployments
• 50G is a relatively new technology, and I've been surprised by the speed at which this is rolling out

China is advancing its broadband infrastructure with its rollout of 50G-PON, a next-generation fiber technology capable of delivering speeds of up to 50Gbps (50,000 Mbps) downstream.

A newly published report by Dell’Oro Group, which gathers information from conversations with equipment vendors and publicly released tender award notifications, projects that PON equipment revenue will grow from $10.5 billion in 2024 to $12.1 billion by 2029.

While this growth will be driven largely by 10Gbps XGS-PON deployments in North America, EMEA, and CALA, China’s 50G-PON deployments place it ahead of the rest of the world. Last year, Omdia forecast that China will be the only commercial market for 50G-PON in 2024 and 2025, accounting for 93 percent of the global market and generating $1.55 billion in revenue by 2027.

Fiber to the Room

PON, or Passive Optical Network, is a fiber-optic technology that enables multiple users to share a single fiber connection using passive optical splitters. This design reduces the need for active electronic components between the provider and end users, lowering infrastructure costs, reducing power consumption, and improving network efficiency.

The 50G-PON ITU-T standard supports theoretical speeds of up to 50 Gbps downstream and up to 25 Gbps upstream, though current real-world deployments in China - led by China Telecom, its regional branch Shanghai Telecom, and ZTE - typically provide 10 Gbps all-optical access.

Beyond 50G-PON, China is also expanding Fiber to the Room (FTTR), which extends fiber-optic connectivity to individual rooms within homes and businesses. Unlike traditional fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) setups, which typically deliver fiber to a central modem and then rely on Ethernet or Wi-Fi for distribution, FTTR brings fiber-optic cables directly to each room, ensuring faster speeds, lower latency, and more stable connections.

Other highlights from Dell’Oro Group’s report include that cable distributed access equipment revenue will peak at $1.3 billion in 2028 as operators continue DOCSIS 4.0 and early fiber deployments.

Fixed wireless CPE is expected to reach its highest revenue in 2025 and 2026, driven by 5G sub-6 GHz and millimeter wave units, while Wi-Fi 7 residential routers and broadband CPE with WLAN are projected to generate $8.9 billion by 2029 as adoption grows among consumers and service providers.

“Quietly, broadband access networks are evolving into large-scale edge compute platforms, with the ability to enable service convergence far more quickly and easily than ever before,” said Jeff Heynen, Vice President at Dell’Oro Group.

“This evolution means that the revenue mix for broadband equipment is shifting over the next five years, with spending on traditional hardware and software now being supplemented by spending on AI and machine learning tools to facilitate convergence and service reliability.”

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• Security researchers observe Chinese attackers targeting network appliances
• The code grants them persistent access and a number of different operations
• Hackers could grab system details, read sensitive user data, and more

Chinese hackers have been seen targeting network appliances with malware which gave them persistent access and the ability to run all sorts of actions.

A new report from cybersecurity researchers Fortiguard (part of Fortinet) dubbed the campaign “ELF/SShdinjector.A!tr”, and attributed the attack to Evasive Panda, also known as Daggerfly, or BRONZE HIGHLAND, a Chinese advanced persistent threat (APT) group active since at least 2012.

The group primarily engages in cyberespionage, targeting individuals, government institutions, and organizations. In the past, it was seen running operations against entities in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and the Tibetan community. We don’t know who the victims in this campaign were.

Analyzing with AI

Fortiguard did not discuss initial access, so we don’t know what gave Evasive Panda the ability to deploy malware. We can only suspect the usual - weak credentials, known vulnerabilities, or devices already infected with backdoors. In any case, Evasive Panda was seen injecting malware in the SSH daemon on the devices, opening up the doors for a wide variety of actions.

For example, the hackers could grab system details, read sensitive user data, access system logs, upload or download files, open a remote shell, run any command remotely, delete specific files from the system, and exfiltrate user credentials.

We last heard of Daggerfly in July 2024, when the group was seen targeting macOS users with an updated version of their proprietary malware. A report from Symantec claimed the new variant was most likely introduced since older variants got too exposed.

In that campaign, the group used a piece of malware called Macma, a macOS backdoor that was first observed in 2020, but it's still not known who built it. Being a modular backdoor, Macma’s key functionalities include device fingerprinting, executing commands, screen grabbing, keylogging, audio capture, and uploading/downloading files from the compromised systems.

Fortiguard also discussed reverse engineering and analyzing malware with AI. While it stressed that there were usual AI-related problems, such as hallucinations and omissions, the researchers praised the tool’s potential.

"While disassemblers and decompilers have improved over the last decade, this cannot be compared to the level of innovation we are seeing with AI," the researchers said. “This is outstanding!”

Via BleepingComputer

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The big features of Sonos' upcoming streaming box have leaked, and they sound pretty damn great, actually. The key elements are that it will have multiple HDMI passthrough ports and will act as an HDMI switch, that it will have a comprehensive range of streaming services in a unified interface, and that it will be able to send wireless audio to Sonos speakers in home theater configurations that don't involve a soundbar at all (or can still include one, but also wirelessly).

The downsides are that the software is being developed by an ad-tech company (and Sonos has a rocky reputation around software over the last year), and that it's predicted to cost $200-$400, which is a lot if you're looking at a living-room setup, since you then need to add all those speakers, and probably stands for the speakers, and all that jazz.

But there's a very interesting potential use case where the price downside really goes away, and the new speaker system could come into its own even more: custom home theater installs.

Not everyone realizes that Sonos is actually a significant name in the world of in-wall speakers and in-ceiling speakers. These aren't wireless, alas, but they're designed to work seamlessly with the Sonos Amp, which knows exactly how to drive them for peak output, and can drive six speakers (three pairs) per Amp box. In the past, their use for home theater has been limited to Sonos regular Amp options: they can act as stereo TV front speakers only, or rear TV speakers when paired with a soundbar.

But if the new streaming box enables more flexible speaker configurations, and can work with Sonos' in-wall speakers connected to multiple Sonos Amps, things could get interesting.

The Sonos Amp could be a secret weapon for the streaming box.

Imagine one of the best projectors (which probably won't have its own streaming tech built in) connected to a Sonos streaming box, which wirelessly sends audio out to two Sonos Amps. One is powering four in-ceiling speakers and a pair of front left and right in-wall speakers; the other is powering a pair of side in-wall speakers and a pair of rear ones. Hopefully the streaming box could also wirelessly connect to a pair (at least!) of Sonos Subs at the same time. That would be quite the Dolby Atmos setup.

Is this superior to connecting an AV receiver to a load of in-wall speakers? Perhaps not, but the installation might be easier if you only need to run cabling a shorter distance to a nearby box, rather than all the way to wherever your AV receiver is.

And you have the ease of use of Sonos' TruePlay tuning, which works excellently to get everything calibrated for your room.

To be clear, this is all speculation on my part – the original leaks about the ability to use speakers for wireless home theater sound said that Sonos is still evaluating exactly which options to include, and we don't know what configurations will be available. But if Sonos makes the Sonos Amp part of the system, the Sonos streaming box could be popular for installations, where price is way less sensitive a topic than most living-room setups.

But what about DTS?

However, there's something else that might put home theater enthusiasts off this whole project, and that's Sonos' on-going rejection of the DTS sound format. The only real competitor to Dolby (sorry Eclipsa Audio, call me when you're supported by some actual movies!) is a big deal to home theater enthusiasts, because it's the format of choice for so many 4K Blu-rays, and it's also now featured on the Disney Plus streaming service.

If you've gone to the effort of outfitting a projector and all these in-wall speakers, are you going to risk hearing the Oppenheimer soundtrack in anything less than full-power, maximum-impact DTS-HD? No, of course not, you're not a barbarian.

My Sonos Arc Ultra soundbar review would have scored it higher if it supported DTS; when it's so common among the competition, it's so frustrating that it's missing. And it lacking from that soundbar worries me that it's not coming to the streamer either.

I'm worried that the Sonos streaming box could end up falling into a valley between the two different sets of people who might love it: living-room users might be put off by the price; home theater users might be put off by the lack of DTS support.

Fortunately, everything we know so far is based on leaks. Perhaps the price will be a bargain in the end, perhaps it'll support DTS and every wireless configuration known to humankind, perhaps it'll be a total dud. I'm hoping Sonos will realize its potential for custom installs, at the very least.

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• Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa says rising inflation and the exchange rate will play a role in the Switch 2's price
• The company is also taking "affordable prices customers expect" into consideration
• The original Switch won't see a price drop after the Switch 2 releases

Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa has shared some insight into the potential cost of the Nintendo Switch 2.

Following the release of Nintendo's Q3 financial results on February 4, a Q&A was held where Furukawa was asked to comment on the price of Nintendo hardware and if inflation and exchange rates have played a role in deciding the cost of the Switch 2 (via Nintendo Everything).

Furukawa said that Nintendo is aware of rising inflation and that the exchange rate has also changed since the launch of the original Switch, but acknowledged that the price of the upcoming console would be in line with the "affordable prices customers expect".

"We are aware that inflation is currently rising and that the exchange rate environment has changed significantly since the launch of the Nintendo Switch in 2017," Furukawa said.

"We also need to consider the affordable prices that customers expect from Nintendo products. When considering the price of our products, we believe that it is necessary to consider these factors from multiple angles..."

The president went on to say that he couldn't announce the price of the Switch 2 at this time, "but we are considering it taking into account various points."

However, Furukawa did confirm that Nintendo has no plans to change the current cost of the original Switch, so customers shouldn't expect a price drop after the Switch 2 eventually releases.

After officially announcing the Switch 2 last month, Nintendo confirmed that the console will launch in 2025 and that a new Nintendo Direct showcase will be broadcast on April 2.

During the live stream it's likely we'll finally learn the release date, as well as the cost of the hardware. TechRadar Gaming predicts that the cost of the Switch 2 will be around $399.99 / £349.99 / AU$699.95, or lower.

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• Former PlayStation executive Shuhei Yoshida said the Nintendo PlayStation's first game would have been a space shooter
• Yoshida was able to play a prototype of the console and try out the "almost finished" game
• The game was inspired by the Sega CD version of Silpheed

According to former PlayStation executive Shuhei Yoshida, the unreleased Nintendo PlayStation's first game would have been a space shooter.

Following his departure from Sony last month, Yoshida sat down with MinnMax to reminisce on his 31 years at the company, as well as his very first day on the job where he got to play the unreleased Nintendo PlayStation's first game.

For some context, there was initially a partnership between Sony and Nintendo to develop a CD-ROM add-on for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) called the SNES-CD. However, the collaboration ultimately failed, and the project later resulted in the creation of the original PlayStation.

Yoshida explained that he joined Sony in 1993 after the collaboration was over and became part of Ken Kutaragi's team to work on the PS1, and that is where he was first shown a prototype of the hardware.

"The first thing they showed us was that Nintendo-Sony PlayStation, a prototype already working, and also they had almost finished a game on it, and I got to play it on the system the day I joined," Yoshida revealed.

"It was like a shooter. Do you remember on the Sega CD system, there’s an amazing game from Game Arts, a space shooter, and all the assets are streamed from the CD… so lots of assets coming in..."

The game Yoshida is referencing is the Sega CD version of Silpheed, which was a space shooter that placed polygon ships over FMV backgrounds, and because these videos were pre-rendered, he explained that the unreleased game had "richer graphics than the standard of that time."

Yoshida said he doesn't remember who created it, but it could have been developed in the US or Japan, adding he "wouldn't be surprised" if Sony had the game in its archive.

Elsewhere, Yoshida recently spoke on the Nintendo Switch 2 announcement, which he thought "could have been a larger reveal", and hopes that "something that people wouldn't anticipate" will be shared later on.

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• OpenAI gets a fresh new look, centered around its own OpenAI Sans font
• Rebrand has apparently been a work-in-progress for more than a year
• However ChatGPT was barely used for the redesign

Ten years after the company was founded, OpenAI has revealed a total rebrand with updated logos and fonts .

Its update includes a fresh brand identity with a new typeface, wordmark, symbol and color palette, but there have been no drastic changes to keep everything familiar.

The Al research and deployment company has issued full guidance to the updates online to keep partners, resellers, customers, developers, consultants, publishers, and any other third parties in the loop.

OpenAI reveals subtle rebrand

Speaking with Wallpaper, OpenAI stated the rebrand was driven by the need for a unified and cohesive identity. Head of Design Veit Moeller and Design Director Shannon Jager admitted that, until now, OpenAI has presented itself haphazardly by using an inconsistent range of fonts, marks and colours.

Moeller disclosed the rebrand has been in the works for more than a year, and was initiated by CEO Sam Altman who wanted a “more organic and more human” look.

Apart from launching its own OpenAI Sans font, the company has also updated its stock imagery with photos from established photographers and abstract graphics rendered by its very own Sora model.

ChatGPT has gained huge traction in the years since its first public preview launch. Despite OpenAI’s intention for it to be a research experiment, it gained a million users within the first five days. By the end of 2024, it had more than 300 million active weekly users.

Addressing the elephant in the room, the designers confirmed a company sentiment that, “technology should amplify, not replace, the depth of human creativity,” adding the updated imagery evokes memory and that the typography carries tone. They were designed by an in-house team rather than getting influence from a third-party agency, the pair confirmed.

Finally, the so-called ‘blossom’ logo, which resembles a flower blossom and is made up of three intertwined triangles, is set to be used more sparingly, with the ‘OpenAI’ wordmark getting more use instead.

And for creatives worried about the threat that AI poses to their livelihoods, the designers confirmed that the redesign process was mostly handled in traditional ways, though ChatGPT was used to inform calculations for different type weights.

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Iniu B43 MagSafe 10000mAh Compact Power Bank review

The Iniu B43 MagSafe 10000mAh Compact Power Bank is a low-cost portable phone charger compatible with the iPhone 12 – 16. Its list price is $59.99 / £59.99 / AU$93.99 on the official Iniu website; however, discounts are often applied. At the time of writing, a 55% – 57% discount is available, and it's also available for less than the list price at Amazon. Unlike some other brands' power banks, it comes with a USB-C cable and a little travel pouch, providing it a little protection against scuffs and scratches when on the go.

I would argue that the Iniu B43 MagSafe 10000mAh Compact Power Bank isn’t the most compact example of a MagSafe charger. Its dimensions are 3.8 x 0.9 x 2.7 inches / 97 x 23 x 69mm, which feels quite bulky in one’s hand when trying to continue using a phone as it charges. It feels pretty weighty, too, at 9.2oz / 261g.

(Image credit: Cesci Angell / Future)

The Iniu B43 MagSafe 10000mAh Compact Power Bank features a super-soft touch matt finish and smooth rounded corners. It offers both MagSafe charging, plus there is a USB-C in/out, and a USB-A out port for wired charging, too. The MagSafe charging area stands proud of the power bank’s surface by roughly 2mm.

The design of the Iniu B43 MagSafe 10000mAh Compact Power Bank isn’t a far cry from your typical power bank. On the front face of the charger, there is the Iniu logo in the top-right corner, while in the bottom left, there’s an animal paw print that acts as an indicator light to communicate the level of charge remaining in the battery pack.

Charging an iPhone 13 Pro with the Iniu B43 MagSafe 10000mAh Compact Power Bank proved disappointingly slow, taking three hours and ten minutes to achieve a full charge. To put this in context, it took the similarly priced Anker 633 Magnetic Battery just two hours and fifteen minutes to do the same, plus it has the added bonus of a built-in stand, so it’s easy to continue watching content as your phone charges.

(Image credit: Cesci Angell / Future)

Overall, if you’re not fussed about fast charging and like the novelty of the blue paw print, the Iniu B43 MagSafe 10000mAh Compact Power Bank wouldn’t be a bad choice. However, there are certainly faster alternatives within the same price range, like the UGREEN Uno Magnetic Wireless Power Bank 10000mAh 15W, for example, that have novelty value of its own, displaying cute little faces on its screen depending on the level of charge.

So it’s clear the Iniu B43 MagSafe 10000mAh Compact Power Bank isn’t up to the standard required to feature in our selection of the best wireless chargers or the best iPhone chargers, but it would make an adequate enough purchase if you’re prepared to forgo fast charging speeds.

(Image credit: Cesci Angell / Future) Iniu B43 MagSafe 10000mAh Compact Power Bank review: Price & specs

(Image credit: Cesci Angell / Future) Should I buy the Iniu B43 MagSafe 10000mAh Compact Power Bank? Buy it if…

You don't want any bells or whistles
Aside from the light-up paw print, there's nothing particularly fancy about this charger. There's no built-in stand or LED screen, so if you want something super simple, this charger would prove satisfactory.

You like tactile finishes
One thing I liked about this power pack was the soft matt finish of the material and its nicely rounded corners.

Don't buy it if…

You want to use your phone as it charges
Although marketed as a compact power bank, its depth makes it a little too bulky to be comfortable to hold when attached to your phone. I recommend checking out our pick of the best power banks if you'd like to continue scrolling as you juice up your phone.

You want a built-in stand
Many portable chargers make terrific travel companions, but this power bank sadly isn't one of them. With no stand included, you're limited to lying it flat on a surface to charge, making it hard to binge-watch Netflix during a flight or hotel stay.

Iniu B43 MagSafe 10000mAh Compact Power Bank review: Also consider

Ugreen 5000mAh Magnetic Wireless Power Bank
Not only is this power bank lower in price, it's also slimmer and lighter. It offers similar charging speeds, but would make an ideal alternative for anyone who struggles to put their phone down for extended periods of time. If you'd like to learn more, head over to the full Ugreen 5000mAh Magnetic Wireless Power Bank review.View Deal

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The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 could be one of the best-selling foldable phones of 2025 going by past form, as Samsung’s foldable flip phones combine a compact form factor with a more reasonable price than its Z Fold line, making them a popular choice. So will this trend continue into 2025?

Well, nothing about the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 has been confirmed just yet, but it sure is starting to leak. So below, you’ll find all the news, leaks, and rumors we’ve heard about this foldable contender so far.

We’ll also update this article whenever any new rumors emerge, so make sure to check back soon if you want to stay informed.

Cut to the chase

• What is it? The next clamshell foldable from Samsung
• When is it out? Probably July
• How much will it cost? Likely upwards of $1,099.99 / £1,049 / AU$1,799

Look out for it in July

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

• Based on past form it will probably launch in July
• Could cost the same as last year

Our best guess for when the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 will launch is July, as the previous two models had July announcements, and the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 also shipped in July.

That said, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 shipped in August of its release year, and the Z Flip 4 wasn’t even announced until August. Still, if not July then we’ll probably see the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 in August.

There isn’t much in the way of release date rumors yet, but @PandaFlashPro has claimed that production of Samsung’s upcoming foldables will start in May, which probably works for a July or August announcement.

And sources have also spotted both a Galaxy Z Flip 7 codename (specifically ‘B7’) and a Galaxy Z Flip 7 model number (SM-F751), which at the very least suggests that this phone is in the works.

We’ve also heard that the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 might have the same starting price as the Galaxy Z Flip 6. That would mean a starting price of $1,099.99 / £1,049 / AU$1,799.

Can you trust these rumors?

The source that claims production will start in May and prices will be unchanged doesn’t have much of a track record, so we’d take this with a pinch of salt. Either way though, we’d think a launch in July or August is likely.

Bigger screens and a better hinge

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 (Image credit: Future / Axel Metz)

• The Galaxy Z Flip 7 might have bigger screens than its predecessor
• It could also have a better hinge mechanism

We don’t have to rely purely on rumors when it comes to the design of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7, as Samsung itself has said during an earnings call (via @Jukanlosreve) that this year “we will release new foldable products with improved form factors, durability,” so while the Z Flip 7 wasn’t named, it’s likely one of the devices the company is referring to.

Beyond that, we’ve heard that the Galaxy Z Flip 7 might have bigger screens than its predecessor, with a source claiming the foldable display will be 6.85 inches (up from 6.7 inches), and the cover screen will be around 4 inches (up from 3.4 inches).

Also on the design front, leaker @PandaFlashPro claims that the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7’s hinge mechanism will be more smooth and durable, and that the button placement will be the same as last year.

Can you trust these rumors?

So far, the design leaks all only come from one source each, so we’d take them with a dose of skepticism. Though the claims of larger screens come from a source with a good track record, so that much may well be true.

If nothing else though, Samsung’s own comments strongly suggest we’ll see some changes to the design.

Copying the cameras

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

• The cameras might not get an upgrade
• That would mean a 50MP main, 12MP ultra-wide, and 10MP selfie camera

There’s only one Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 camera leak so far and it’s not a very promising one, as apparently this phone will have exactly the same cameras as the Z Flip 6. That would mean a 50MP main camera, a 12MP ultra-wide one, and a 10MP front-facing one.

If so, that would be rather disappointing, so we hope that subsequent camera leaks will disagree with this.

Still, if nothing else the software will probably be improved, and we’d expect to see new AI photography tools too.

Can you trust these rumors?

As we’ve only heard camera claims from one source so far, we’d take them with a pinch of salt. That said, it’s believable that Samsung wouldn’t improve the cameras, especially as the Samsung Galaxy S25’s cameras weren’t upgraded from the Samsung Galaxy S24’s.

An Exynos chipset and no change to RAM

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

• Likely to use an Exynos 2500 chipset
• May match its predecessor's RAM and storage

There’s potentially bad news when it comes to the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7’s chipset, as according to one rumor, it will have an Exynos 2500.

That’s set to be Samsung’s most powerful in-house smartphone chipset of 2025, and is almost certainly going to outperform the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 used by the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6. But based on past form it probably won’t quite be a match for the Snapdragon 8 Elite, which is used by the Samsung Galaxy S25 series, and is what we were hoping would power the Galaxy Z Flip 7.

Beyond that, we’ve elsewhere heard that the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 could have 12GB of RAM, and a choice of 256GB or 512GB of storage – specs which are identical to the current model.

Finally, leaker @PandaFlashPro has posted on X, saying that the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 will have a bigger vapor chamber than the Z Flip 6, which could help it keep cool and therefore avoid throttling.

That might also aid the battery life, though as yet we haven’t heard anything about the phone’s battery. For reference though, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 has a 4,000mAh battery, so we’d expect the Z Flip 7’s would be at least that size.

Can you trust these rumors?

All of these specs have each only been stated by one source, so we’d take them all with a pinch of salt for now, though there’s nothing unbelievable here.

Hopefully though Samsung will either equip the phone with a Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset or give it more than 12GB of RAM – or both. But that’s just our hope, not a prediction.

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• The amount of money paid to ransomware attacks declined in 2024, report claims
• A total of $813.55 million was paid, compared to over $1.2 billion in 2023
• Even those who pay the ransom are unlikely to get their data back in full

Anyone working in security will be all too familiar with the increasing dangers of ransomware and its disastrous consequences, but new research from ChainAnalysis has claimed 2024 actually saw a 35% decrease year-on-year in the number of firms who paid the ransom.

Ransomware attacks reportedly hit a new high in 2024, but the revenue ransomware attackers received declined for the first time since 2022. That being said, the numbers are still quite eyewatering.

Between January and June of 2024, ChainAnalysis reported a $459.8 million victim loss to ransom payments, which was actually 2.38% higher than the same period in 2023. This slowed in the period following though, and 2024’s total came to $813.55 million, compared to 2023’s staggering $1.25 billion.

New ransom guidelines

There are a few likely reasons for this. As cybersecurity teams develop their tactics and adapt to threats, alternatives to blindly paying ransoms have developed. For example, the UK government has launched proposals for ransomware protection which includes a ban on ransom payments for public services, aimed at dissuading criminals and disrupting the attackers income source.

Research has shown that those who pay the ransom aren’t even particularly likely to get their data back, with only roughly 7% actually fully recovering their information, which will undoubtedly factor into the incident response for a lot of organizations.

“According to our data, around 30% of negotiations actually lead to payments or the victims deciding to pay the ransoms. Generally, these decisions are made based on the perceived value of data that’s specifically been compromised,” commented Dan Saunders, Director of Incident Response at Kivu Consulting.

Of course, as more firms experience this, and as more security teams develop their tactics against cyberattacks, the defences against ransomware will improve. Cybersecurity and cyberattacks are both constantly evolving, so the future is unpredictable.

“For years now, the cybersecurity landscape seemed hurtling towards a so-called ransomware apocalypse" notes Jacqueline Burns Koven, Head of Cyber Threat Intelligence at Chainalysis, "so this sharp decline, to levels even lower than those in 2020 and 2021 speaks to the effectiveness of law enforcement actions, improved international collaboration, and a growing refusal by victims to cave into attackers demands."

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