The Cost of a Data Breach
- The global average cost of a data breach was $4.44 million. (IBM, Cost of a Data Breach Report, 2025)
- The U.S. average reached $10.22 million, an all-time high. (IBM, 2025)
- Organizations took an average of 241 days to identify and contain a breach. (IBM, 2025)
Ransomware and Small Businesses
- Ransomware was involved in 44% of all breaches, up from 32% the year before. (Verizon, Data Breach Investigations Report, 2025)
- Ransomware was involved in 88% of breaches at small and midsize businesses, compared with 39% at large enterprises. (Verizon, 2025)
- 64% of victim organizations did not pay a ransom. (Verizon, 2025)
The Security Talent Market
- Employment of information security analysts is projected to grow 21% from 2025 to 2035. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook)
- The median annual wage for information security analysts was $129,180 in May 2025. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)
What These Numbers Mean for Your Business
Small and midsize businesses are frequent ransomware targets, and hiring dedicated security staff is expensive. A managed service provider gives you monitoring, response, and backup expertise for a predictable monthly fee.