Case Study
The Ransomware Reality: Cyber Resilience, Data Resilience, and Data Protection
Insights from 400 IT and Data Protection professionals on the evolution of data security, AI integration, and the modern recovery mandate. The era of traditional backup is ending. This ESG research report explores how organizations are reimagining data protection to counter sophisticated ransomware and leverage AI-driven insights.
- Topic
- Data Management and Analytics
- Published
- 20 Jan 2026
As ransomware attacks become more frequent and destructive, the "business as usual" approach to data protection is no longer viable. Modern business is built on data copies, and organizations are now under immense pressure to enhance these copies with higher levels of security, readiness, and intelligence.
This study by Enterprise Strategy Group (ESG) surveys 400 IT and data protection professionals across North America to uncover the current state of recovery investments. The report delves into the critical shift from simple data backup to comprehensive cyber resilience. It identifies the key business drivers for adopting new recovery technologies, the impact of AI on data-intensive workloads, and how buying teams are evolving to prioritize security and cost-optimization in an increasingly volatile digital landscape.
Key Highlights:
The Twilight of Traditional Backup: Why standard backup methods are being replaced by holistic cyber resilience frameworks.
Ransomware Impact Analysis: A deep dive into how modern attacks alter organizational approaches to data protection.
AI and Data Workloads: How strategic investments in AI are fundamentally changing how data protection vendors are evaluated.
Enhanced Data Copies: The move toward making data copies more secure, ready, and recoverable for business continuity.
Cost Optimization Strategies: Leveraging data intelligence to better understand storage environments and reduce unnecessary spending.
Buying Team Evolution: Insights into the changing roles and influencers within IT and Security procurement teams.
Readiness vs. Recovery: Identifying the gap between having a backup and being truly "recovery-ready" after an incident.
Business Drivers for Adoption: A look at the primary triggers both technological and economic, driving the move to modern recovery platforms.
North American Market Trends: Specific data points from 400 US and Canadian professionals regarding their current investment priorities.