Recent findings from the Kaspersky ransomware report reveal alarming financial risks for the global manufacturing sector, with potential losses surpassing $18 billion if 2025 ransomware attacks had succeeded. According to Kaspersky Security Network data collected between January and September 2025, the Middle East (7%) and Latin America (6.5%) saw the highest ransomware detection rates among manufacturing organisations, followed by APAC (6.3%), Africa (5.8%), CIS (5.2%) and Europe (3.8%). All attempted attacks were successfully blocked by Kaspersky solutions, preventing major operational shutdowns.
This analysis, conducted in collaboration with VDC Research, shows how ransomware attempts—had they not been stopped—could have resulted in massive direct labor losses due to production downtime. The study examined factors such as organisation count, average downtime, workforce size and hourly wages across APAC, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, CIS and LATAM.
Regional Breakdown of Potential Financial Losses
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$11.5 billion — APAC
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$4.4 billion — Europe
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$711 million — LATAM
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$685 million — Middle East
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$507 million — CIS
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$446 million — Africa
These calculations do not include additional long-term consequences such as supply-chain disruption, reputational damage, recovery spending, or operational delays — which means the real impact could be significantly higher.
Growing Cybersecurity Pressure on Manufacturing
When a ransomware attack strikes, production stops immediately. The Kaspersky Incident Response Report (https://apo-opa.co/4pA9PUK) notes that the average attack lasts 13 days, creating major financial strain from idle labor costs and reduced output.
“No region is exempt from ransomware… every manufacturing hub is constantly being targeted,” said Dmitry Galov, Head of Research Center for Russia and CIS at Kaspersky GReAT. He warned that mid-tier manufacturers—often with smaller security budgets—are increasingly targeted due to their vulnerability and potential to cause broader supply-chain disruptions.
Jared Weiner, Research Director at VDC Research, added that widening skill gaps and complex manufacturing ecosystems make it difficult for companies to manage cybersecurity effectively. Failure to do so can lead not only to severe financial losses but also long-lasting reputational harm.
Cybersecurity Tools and Solutions Recommended by Kaspersky
Kaspersky suggests several ways to prevent ransomware and strengthen cybersecurity in manufacturing:
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Review global ransomware trends in Kaspersky’s 2025 State of Ransomware Report (https://apo-opa.co/43LYE2H).
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Enable endpoint ransomware protection using the free Kaspersky Anti-Ransomware Tool for Business (https://apo-opa.co/48fN4xZ).
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For industrial operations, deploy Kaspersky Industrial CyberSecurity (KICS) (https://apo-opa.co/3K8S27W), an XDR platform for OT and critical infrastructure.
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Non-industrial companies can enhance security with anti-APT and EDR solutions plus updated threat intelligence (https://apo-opa.co/4oZWhSr).
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Organisations may also adopt Kaspersky Next Expert (https://apo-opa.co/4rpBklE) for advanced threat detection, investigation and remediation.
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This story was first reported by Kaspersky Africa Newsroom. Read the full article here.
