Paying does not guarantee you get your data back. The NCSC, the US Treasury and No More Ransom each say so directly. Below are five common beliefs about ransoms, checked against what those sources state, and where the evidence stops.
Myth 1: Pay and your files come back
Fact: no source offers that guarantee. The NCSC lists "paying doesn't guarantee you'll recover your data or computer" first among the risks. OFAC says there is no guarantee that companies will regain access to their data or be free from further attacks. No More Ransom says there is no guarantee you will get the decryption key.
Myth 2: Once you pay, the problem is over
Fact: the NCSC notes the device stays infected. Payment buys, at best, a key. It does not remove the attacker's access, and CISA's checklist treats persistence hunting and credential resets as necessary steps in recovery.
Myth 3: Paying makes you safer next time
Fact: the NCSC says paying can make you a more likely target in future. OFAC says payments encourage and enrich malicious actors and perpetuate additional attacks. The sources do not give a figure for repeat attacks, so be wary of anyone who does without naming a method.
Myth 4: Without paying, there is no way out
Fact: there are routes that do not involve the attacker. Offline backups are the main one. CISA's guide also advises consulting federal law enforcement about possible decryptors, because researchers sometimes publish tools for specific variants. No More Ransom hosts a repository of keys and applications that can decrypt data locked by different types of ransomware, while noting that not every type has a solution.
Myth 5: Stolen data is deleted after payment
Fact: the sources reviewed do not promise it. The NCSC notes that attackers may threaten to publish stolen data and advises reducing the impact of data theft. Treat any promise of deletion as unverifiable.
What this means for planning
If the realistic best case of payment is a key that may not work, then the plan should not depend on it. Spend the effort on three things: offline backups you have restored in a test, a decision process that includes legal advice, and a way to find out quickly whether a decryptor exists.
Quick check
Is there a free decryptor for every ransomware?
No. No More Ransom says not every type of ransomware has a solution, though it lists decryptors for several families.
What should we do before deciding anything?
Isolate affected systems, preserve evidence, report, check for a decryptor and take legal advice. Do not rush, because pressure to pay quickly is part of the attacker's method.
Sources
Last reviewed: 19 October 2026.
