Ransomware has evolved. What once started as small-scale attacks on local systems has now grown into a global, organized criminal operation targeting every sector and every geography. From public utilities and hospitals to government agencies and retailers, no organization is off limits—and neither are their vendors.
Mastercard’s RiskRecon research team recently analyzed 7,158 ransomware events from 2015 to 2024, revealing how attackers exploit the weakest links in digital ecosystems: the supply chain.
📉 Key finding: One in every 100 suppliers will experience a ransomware attack each year.
This is a wake-up call for CISOs, procurement leaders, and risk managers. Even if your organization is secure, your operational resiliency is only as strong as your third-party ecosystem.
Why Focus on the Supply Chain?
The expanding attack surface of today’s digitally interconnected world means ransomware risk doesn’t stop at the network perimeter. It moves laterally—through vendors, suppliers, and partners. And while many organizations enforce strict internal security protocols, they often lack visibility into external vendor practices.
This is exactly why continuous third-party monitoring is no longer optional. It’s foundational to modern risk management.
What’s in the Research
RiskRecon analyzed 196,000 organizations across industries and geographies. The resulting report uncovers six powerful lessons from a decade of ransomware attacks—ranging from hygiene weaknesses to geographic blind spots to the importance of 24x7 security operations.
We’ll explore those lessons in the next post. For now, one thing is clear:
Ransomware risk is systemic—and managing your supply chain is critical to stopping the spread.
