Why Ransomware Is Getting Worse in Australia
Ransomware is not a new threat, but the scale and sophistication of attacks on Australian organisations has grown dramatically. According to recent data, ransomware notifications in Australia climbed 23% year-on-year to June 2025, with healthcare and local governments accounting for 41% of cases.
What has changed is not just the frequency — it is the business model behind attacks. Ransomware operators now run highly organised criminal enterprises, offering Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) to affiliates who carry out attacks in exchange for a share of the ransom. This means the barrier to launching a sophisticated attack has dropped significantly, putting businesses of all sizes at risk.
For Australian IT managers, the question is no longer whether ransomware is a real risk — it is whether your current defences are strong enough to stop an attack that was specifically designed to bypass them.
How Modern Ransomware Works (Double Extortion Explained)
Traditional ransomware encrypted your files and demanded payment for the decryption key. Today, most attacks follow a double extortion model — attackers steal your data first, then encrypt it. Even if you restore from backups, they can threaten to publish or sell the stolen data unless you pay.
A typical ransomware attack in 2026 follows this sequence:
- Initial access: Attackers gain entry through phishing emails, compromised credentials, or unpatched vulnerabilities
- Lateral movement: Once inside, they move quietly through your network, identifying valuable data and disabling backup systems
- Data exfiltration: Sensitive files are copied to attacker-controlled servers before encryption begins
- Encryption and extortion: Files are locked, and a ransom demand is issued — sometimes accompanied by a countdown timer
The dwell time — the period between initial access and the ransomware triggering — is often measured in days or weeks. This is why endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools that monitor behaviour in real time are far more effective than traditional antivirus, which only detects known threats at the point of execution.
What You Should Have in Place Right Now
Effective ransomware protection requires a layered approach. No single tool eliminates the risk, but the right combination significantly reduces your exposure.
The baseline for Australian businesses in 2026 should include:
- Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR): Behaviour-based monitoring that detects ransomware activity before encryption begins — SentinelOne is the leading platform for this
- Multi-factor authentication (MFA): Prevents attackers from using stolen credentials to access your systems
- Immutable, offsite backups: Backups that cannot be encrypted or deleted by an attacker, tested regularly for recovery
- Network segmentation: Limits lateral movement so that even if one system is compromised, the attack cannot spread easily
- Employee training: Phishing remains the most common entry point — regular, practical training reduces this risk substantially
These controls align with the Australian Government’s Essential Eight Maturity Model, which is increasingly referenced in compliance frameworks across both public and private sectors.
How SentinelOne Stops Ransomware Before It Spreads
SentinelOne uses AI-driven behavioural analysis to detect and respond to ransomware in real time — without relying on signature databases that can be bypassed by new variants.
When SentinelOne identifies ransomware-like behaviour on an endpoint, it can automatically:
- Isolate the affected device from the network to prevent lateral spread
- Roll back encrypted or modified files to their pre-attack state using the platform’s built-in Storyline technology
- Provide a complete forensic timeline of the attack for investigation and compliance reporting
For Australian businesses that cannot afford significant downtime — or the reputational damage that comes with a public breach — this automated response capability is a critical advantage over traditional security tools.
ANP Technology is an authorised SentinelOne partner in Australia. We can assess your current endpoint security posture, deploy SentinelOne across your environment, and provide ongoing managed detection and response support.
Protect your business before the next attack. Speak with ANP Technology — Sydney-based cybersecurity specialists serving Australian businesses.
Contact us for more detail or : https://www.anptech.com.au/index.php/sentinelone/
