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Ransomware attacks - and their impact - are on the rise in Australia, according to a new study from Barracuda.
Organisations in Australia are more likely to pay a ransom following a ransomware attack than companies in any other country, new research has found.
On average, only 32 per cent of organisations pay ransoms in response to a cyber attack, but in Australia, 43 per cent of organisations pay up, according to cyber security firm Barracuda’s Ransomware Insights Report 2025.
Barracuda’s report is based on research conducted by research firm Vanson Bourne, which polled 2,000 senior security staff around the world, including Australia.
Globally, 57 per cent of companies reported some level of ransomware impact, though both the healthcare and government sectors fared even worse.
Despite the fact that email is the most common vector of compromise, only 45 per cent of Australian organisations polled had some form of email security solution in place.
Barracuda’s research also found that the follow-on impacts of a ransomware attack are expanding dangerously. In Australia, 51 per cent of ransomware victims reported damage to their brand and reputation, and 49 per cent faced significant recovery costs. 25 per cent reported losing customers following a breach, and a similar number missed out on business opportunities.
35 per cent also faced productivity issues with their staff in the wake of a ransomware incident.
“The findings make it clear that ransomware is an escalating threat, and fragmented security defences leave organisations immensely vulnerable,” Dan McLean, Country Manager ANZ at Barracuda, said in a recent statement.
“In Australia, we’re seeing a pattern where well-meaning investments in multiple tools create disjointed environments with limited visibility. To fight modern ransomware threats, we need simplification, integration, and smarter automation, not just more tools. Beyond data loss, ransomware is causing serious business disruption from lost customers to reputational harm.
“Australian businesses must take a proactive stance with integrated protection that not only blocks threats but also enables rapid detection, swift response, and effective recovery, to minimise risk exposure and reducing the blast radius of any breach across the digital ecosystem.”
You can read the full report here.
David Hollingworth has been writing about technology for over 20 years, and has worked for a range of print and online titles in his career. He is enjoying getting to grips with cyber security, especially when it lets him talk about Lego.
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