When people think about ransomware, they often imagine encrypted systems, ransom notes, and operational shutdowns. However, modern ransomware attacks begin long before any files are locked.
In 2026, ransomware has evolved into a highly organised criminal ecosystem in which different actors specialise at different stages of the attack. Instead of acting alone, cybercriminal groups now operate through collaborative underground networks that focus on gaining access, collecting intelligence, and identifying the most vulnerable targets before launching the final attack.
Critical infrastructure organisations such as hospitals, energy providers, transportation systems, and manufacturing facilities have become especially attractive targets because they cannot afford operational downtime. This pressure has transformed ransomware into one of the most profitable cybercrime models today.
The Importance of the Pre-Attack Phase
Before deploying ransomware, threat actors often spend weeks conducting reconnaissance activities such as vulnerability scanning, credential harvesting, and internal network mapping. During this stage, attackers search for weaknesses that will allow them to move through a network undetected and maximise operational disruption once the attack begins.
This means that ransomware frequently leaves warning signs before encryption even takes place.
Detecting these early indicators can help organisations strengthen security measures, patch vulnerable systems, reset compromised credentials, and reduce the risk of operational paralysis. As ransomware increasingly targets industrial and critical infrastructure environments, understanding this “pre-attack phase” is becoming essential for improving cyber resilience.
Inside the Underground Economy
One of the key actors behind modern ransomware operations is the Initial Access Broker (IAB). These cybercriminals specialise in obtaining access to organisations and selling it to ransomware groups through underground forums and dark web marketplaces.
Compromised VPN accounts, leaked employee credentials, and exposed remote access systems are commonly traded online, especially when they belong to critical infrastructure organisations. Access to hospitals, utilities, or industrial networks is often sold at a premium due to the high pressure these sectors face during operational disruptions.
At the same time, encrypted messaging platforms such as Telegram have become important spaces for cybercriminal collaboration. Threat actors use these channels to discuss vulnerabilities, exchange technical information, and advertise stolen access credentials or vulnerable industrial systems.
Another growing concern is the sale of vulnerabilities affecting Operational Technology (OT) environments. Weaknesses in industrial control systems, remote gateways, or network devices are increasingly being shared and exploited before organisations are even aware of the risk.
This underground economy demonstrates that ransomware is no longer just a malware problem; it is a structured ecosystem built around specialisation, intelligence gathering, and the commercialisation of access.
This article is based on insights from the Ransomware Impact Report 2026 by Byron Labs, which provides a deeper analysis of ransomware trends, critical infrastructure targeting, and the evolution of the pre-attack phase. The full report is available here readers interested in exploring these topics in more detail.
Written by María Hernandez from Byron Labs
