How Ransomware Really Spreads (and Why It Still Works)
Despite years of awareness campaigns, ransomware remains effective because it exploits what never changes, human error, misconfigured systems, and unpatched vulnerabilities. Most attacks begin with phishing emails or stolen credentials and expand through lateral movement in flat networks.
If you want a full breakdown of these attack phases, see How Ransomware Attacks Work; it outlines every step from initial access to encryption and ransom demand. And to understand the different malware families behind these campaigns, explore Types of Ransomware for detailed distinctions between crypto, locker, and double extortion variants.
WannaCry 2017: The Ransomware That Froze the World
No discussion of famous ransomware attacks begins without WannaCry. In May 2017, it infected over 200,000 systems across 150 countries in less than a day. Hospitals, shipping giants, and telecom providers all went offline.
WannaCry exploited “EternalBlue,” a vulnerability in Windows SMB protocol, which Microsoft had already patched, but countless systems remained outdated. This single oversight showed how fragile global infrastructure had become.
Key Lesson:
Patch management is not optional. Outdated systems are a gateway for disaster. Read more in Ransomware Prevention Strategies to see how proactive patching and segmentation stop attacks like this before they start.
NotPetya: When Cybercrime Turned Into Cyberwar
Just weeks after WannaCry, the world met NotPetya, a pseudo ransomware attack that looked like a typical extortion campaign but was actually destructive malware. Spread through a compromised software update from the Ukrainian tax software MeDoc, NotPetya wiped systems entirely, leaving no path to recovery. The financial toll exceeded $10 billion globally. It became clear that ransomware could now be weaponized for geopolitical disruption.
Key Lesson:
Trust no update without validation. Implement strict software integrity checks and offline, immutable backups. These controls form the backbone of effective Ransomware Recovery Solutions.
Ryuk: The Attack That Targeted Hospitals and Cities
Ryuk introduced a chilling trend; precision targeting. Instead of random victims, Ryuk operators focused on hospitals, municipalities, and large enterprises where downtime meant life-threatening consequences or major revenue loss.
Access often originated through phishing or sold credentials from malware like TrickBot and Emotet. Once inside, attackers disabled antivirus tools and encrypted everything, demanding multimillion, dollar ransoms.
Key Lesson:
Speed matters. Incident response time defines survival. Ransomware Detection & Response is critical for isolating infected hosts, revoking credentials, and stopping encryption before it spreads.
REvil: How Hackers Turned Ransomware into a Business
REvil (also known as Sodinokibi) professionalized ransomware with its “Ransomware as a Service” (RaaS) model. Affiliates rented the malware and shared profits with its developers. This approach industrialized ransomware and expanded its global reach through the supply chain. High profile victims included Kaseya and JBS Foods, where thousands of downstream systems were affected through trusted software channels.
Key Lesson:
Third party risk is now first party risk. Enforce zero-trust access for all vendors and partners. Frameworks like the MITRE ATT&CK matrix provide mappings to identify and test against techniques used in REvil campaigns.
Maze: The Start of Data Theft and Double Blackmail
Maze changed ransomware forever by introducing “double extortion.” Attackers didn’t just encrypt data; they exfiltrated it first, threatening to publish sensitive information if victims refused to pay.
This evolution blurred the line between data breaches and ransomware incidents, creating regulatory and ethical challenges for organizations. For companies struggling with disclosure and negotiation decisions, it raised the issue of Legal & Ethical Aspects in cybersecurity response.
Key Lesson:
Treat data governance as part of your security posture. Classify sensitive information, restrict outbound data flow, and adopt DLP (Data Loss Prevention) tools to stop exfiltration before encryption.
Conti: The Cybercrime Group That Ran Like a Company
Conti was a turning point, ransomware became corporate. The group operated with defined roles, HR style management, and financial targets. Its affiliates moved fast and prioritized deleting backups before encryption, ensuring maximum leverage.
Leaked internal chat logs from Conti revealed operational discipline comparable to legitimate enterprises. They demonstrated how well-funded cybercriminal ecosystems had become.
Key Lesson:
Separate production and backup identities. Monitor privileged accounts and secure management consoles behind conditional access. The NIST Cybersecurity Framework remains the foundation for structuring resilience against such organized threats.
LockBit: Automation Meets Ransomware Efficiency
LockBit represented the next phase, full automation. It used self spreading scripts that encrypted thousands of machines within minutes, giving defenders virtually no reaction time.
For security teams, LockBit was proof that automation must exist on both sides of the battlefield.
Key Lesson:
Adopt behavioral detection and automatic containment. Use endpoint isolation and identity lockdown triggers. The FBI IC3 ransomware guide offers valuable advice for responding quickly and reporting coordinated campaigns like LockBit.
DarkSide: The Attack That Shut Down a Nation’s Pipeline
The 2021 DarkSide attack on Colonial Pipeline exposed how ransomware could disrupt physical infrastructure. A single compromised VPN credential forced a major U.S. fuel supplier offline, leading to shortages and panic buying across the East Coast. The fallout was a wake-up call for operational technology (OT) environments.
Key Lesson:
Enforce network separation between IT and OT, audit all remote access points, and rehearse crisis communications. Cyber risk is business risk, recovery plans must involve leadership and operations teams, not just IT.
Kaseya: When a Software Update Spread Ransomware
When REvil exploited Kaseya’s remote management software, hundreds of managed service providers (MSPs) unknowingly deployed ransomware to their clients. The blast radius was unprecedented, one vulnerability multiplied across thousands of networks.
Key Lesson:
Treat MSP tools as Tier 0 assets. Require multi-factor authentication, out of band verification for updates, and segmented privileges. CISA’s StopRansomware initiative provides updated advisories for mitigating supply chain and vendor-based ransomware exposure.
What Every Business Can Learn from These Attacks
Across every case, the root causes remain consistent, unpatched systems, poor visibility, weak authentication, and connected backups. These common gaps are exactly what attackers exploit.
The most resilient organizations now follow five universal principles:
- Patch exposed systems immediately.
- Enforce MFA across all users and admins.
- Segment networks and isolate backup environments.
- Detect abnormal behaviors like mass file encryption early.
- Test your recovery process regularly, and actually restore.
The Future of Ransomware: What Comes Next?
Attackers are evolving faster than ever, using automation, AI, and social engineering to bypass traditional defenses. The next wave of ransomware will likely combine data theft, extortion, and deepfake manipulation.
To anticipate these threats, organizations should explore The Future of Ransomware, understanding how AI, automation, and defensive orchestration are shaping tomorrow’s threat landscape.
Final Takeaway: Don’t Just Read; Prepare
WannaCry, NotPetya, Ryuk, REvil, Maze, Conti, LockBit, and DarkSide were more than cyber incidents — they were pivotal moments in the evolution of global cyber defense. Each exposed weaknesses but also pushed innovation in prevention, detection, and recovery.
The most important takeaway is readiness. Measure key metrics like patch compliance, MFA adoption, and restore success rate. Build tabletop exercises that involve legal, communications, and operations teams.
And above all, align your resilience strategy with recognized standards like the ISO 22301 Business Continuity Standard. Because in cybersecurity, the only true success is when your organization stays operational, no matter what comes next.