A Comprehensive Survey on Ransomware Evolution: From WannaCry to AI- Driven Threats and Mitigation Strategies

Abstract

Ransomware has evolved from a minor disruption to a severe global threat, inflicting financial and operational damage across industries. This paper examines its progression from early variants like WannaCry to modern AI-driven attacks, highlighting key advancements such as targeted attacks, Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS), and AI integration for enhanced evasion and automation. The study explores attack vectors and encryption techniques used by contemporary ransomware, along with the increasing sophistication of threat actors employing data exfiltration and double extortion strategies. Mitigation strategies are analyzed, focusing on proactive defenses such as network segmentation, regular data backups, and employee cybersecurity training. Additionally, the effectiveness of AI-powered threat detection and behavioral analysis in combating advanced ransomware is evaluated. The paper also discusses the need for adaptive security measures and collaborative efforts to counter these persistent threats.