In the first half of 2025, ransomware attacks surged by nearly 50 % compared to the same period in 2024, with attackers posting 4,198 victims to leak sites between January and June. Mid‑sized companies—those with 51–200 staff members and $5M–$25M in revenue—were the most severely impacted.

For organizations in this “middle market” segment, the threat has never been more urgent. Lean security teams, constrained budgets, and expanding digital dependencies make them prime targets for ransomware extortionists.

Constructure Technologies is here to share everything SMBs need to know. Read more about this story here. 

What’s Driving the Ransomware Spike?

• Ransomware‑as‑a‑Service (RaaS)‑based models let attackers scale operations quickly—groups like Qilin, SafePay, and Akira are among the most active actors.
• Exploited vulnerabilities remain a leading entry point—unpatched VPNs, security appliances, and remote‑access infrastructure are common vectors.
• Sophisticated social engineering tactics—from help‑desk impersonation to MFA fatigue—enable attackers to breach systems even without exploitative vulnerabilities.
• Mid‑market firms often rely on third‑party vendors and MSPs, which expands their attack surface and increases risk.

Why Mid-Sized Businesses Are the Top Targets

• They’re large enough to pay, but small enough to have weaker defenses.
• Limited tech/security budgets mean they may lack visibility, monitoring, and response tools.
• Reliance on MSPs or outsourced tech gives attackers leveraged paths into multiple organizations.
• Operations often span distributed locations, using legacy systems with patching gaps.

The Cost of Being a Target

• In Q2 2025 alone, average ransom payments jumped to $1.13 million, more than double the previous quarter; the median rose to $400,000.
• Data exfiltration and double‑extortion strategies are now far more common than simple encryption.
• Mid‑sized businesses with 11–1,000 staff members comprised 64 % of victims in Q2.

What Mid-Sized Companies Should Do Right Now

• Patch aggressively. Focus on VPNs, firewalls, and known vulnerable appliances.
• Strengthen identity security. Enforce MFA, enforce strong passwords, and limit privileged access.
• Secure backups. Isolate them from primary environments and test recovery procedures.
• Vet and monitor third-party vendors. Limit access, review configurations, and audit regularly.
• Educate staff. Train staff members to identify phishing attempts, help-desk fraud, and MFA fatigue.

Final Takeaway

Ransomware in 2025 is not just limited to large enterprises. Mid-sized businesses are now a primary target—and the cost of an incident can be catastrophic.

Being proactive matters. The best defense is prevention: patch before there’s an explosion. Strengthen identity, secure backups, and build resilient response plans.

Need help assessing your risk or strengthening ransomware defenses? Contact Constructure Technologies at 631-396-7777 or email info@constructuretech.com. Let us help you protect your business with our expert cybersecurity services.