Study Links Ransomware Attacks to Threats Against Staff
Forty percent of attacks reported in Semperis research involved psychological or physical threats against employees.
- By Chelsey Arries
- Oct 16, 2026
Semperis has released research showing that ransomware incidents can extend to employee safety, with 40% of attacks in its survey involving psychological or physical threats against staff.
The company’s Ransomware Risk Report examined organizations hit by ransomware within the previous 12 months across nine countries, including the United States. The findings apply to the researched group rather than businesses generally.
Respondents reported that attackers used artificial intelligence in 84% of incidents. Nearly 70% experienced repeated targeting, while 31% paid attackers more than once.
Systems that manage user identities and access were targets in 87% of attacks, according to the report. Those systems included Active Directory, Entra ID and Okta.
Recovery preparations varied. About 50% of the surveyed organizations maintained separate backups for identity systems, and fewer than half had automated identity system recovery.
The report also found that 60% of disaster recovery or crisis response plans lacked procedures for restoring identity systems.
About the Author
Chelsey Arries is assistant editor of Security Today, Campus Security Today, Occupational Health & Safety and Environmental Protection Online.