Ransomware as a Service: The Rising Business Threat

In the first five weeks of 2025, U.S. ransomware attacks increased 149% year over year. These attacks have been made easier than ever to launch by less-skilled individuals. This is due to them using ransomware as a service (RaaS) kits.

In this blog, we’ll break down what ransomware as a service is, why it’s dangerous, and how businesses can defend themselves.

What is Ransomware as a Service (RaaS)

Ransomware is a malicious software that locks files, systems, or networks and demands a ransom payment for return. Ransomware as a service is different in that:

• Ransomware as a service is when a person pays a ransomware developer for their “kits” to be able to deploy a ransomware attack. These are generally paid to hacking groups by low-skill criminals.
• 2012 was the first instance of these kinds of attacks, with them increasingly becoming more sophisticated each year.
• Ransomware as a service differs significantly from traditional ransomware due to its lower barrier to entry, its “provider-affiliate” model, ease of distribution, and higher volume of attacks.

Traditional ransomware attacks have already been a threat to businesses, but now with RaaS becoming more mainstream, there is an even bigger target on businesses.

Why RaaS Is a Growing Threat to Businesses

With ransomware already being a looming threat for businesses, here’s how ransomware as a service worsens that threat:

• It greatly lowers the barriers of entry for criminals. Ransomware as a service kits can be bought or rented on the dark web, kind of like buying a traditional service from a regular website.
• One ransomware as a service developer, REvil, claims to make more than $100 million in profits by selling its kits to people who want to run ransomware attacks on businesses.
• Any business can be at risk of a ransomware attack, but those primarily targeted for their sensitive data are healthcare, financial services, manufacturing, and energy sectors.

How Businesses Can Protect Themselves

Some of the most common ransomware attack vectors are phishing attacks, software vulnerabilities, malicious websites, and compromised credentials. Ways businesses can protect themselves from these vectors are:

• Prioritizing their cybersecurity hygiene, this can range from strengthening passwords, using MFA, keeping software updated, and being cautious with emails and links.
• Consider partnering with a managed IT and cybersecurity provider. These providers are more cost-effective, have a wide range of defenses, utilize the latest technology and techniques for threat detection, and more. They reduce costs to businesses by not having to pay for a traditional in-house team.
• Implementing endpoint detection and response (EDR). These continuously monitor devices and can detect threats such as ransomware and will automatically block malicious activity and prevent data encryption. However, this isn’t a silver bullet, so it’s best to pair it with other cybersecurity defenses.

How Kirkham IronTech Prevents RaaS Attacks

At Kirkham IronTech, we’ve seen the shocking growth of ransomware into ransomware as a service kits that the everyday person can purchase. This has completely changed the cybersecurity landscape, making attacks more frequent, more accessible, and more damaging than ever. That’s why we take a proactive approach to protect our clients’ sensitive data.

Using our IronTech Framework™, we fortify businesses with three critical pillars:

• Cybersecurity: Advanced EDR tools, 24/7 threat monitoring, and layered defenses to block ransomware at every angle.
• IT Infrastructure: Resilient systems that minimize downtime and eliminate vulnerabilities before they’re exploited.
• Governance: Strategic oversight that keeps your tech aligned with your goals while maintaining compliance and long-term security.

Don’t wait for ransomware to come knocking at your door. Let Kirkham IronTech assess your risk and build a security plan tailored to your business. Contact us today and consider taking our free cybersecurity and IT infrastructure assessment to see how protected your business really is.