Ransomware as a Regulatory and Governance Crisis Ransomware incidents have similarly evolved beyond technical containment challenges into multi-dimensional regulatory and governance crises. Unlike traditional cyber incidents, ransomware events frequently trigger overlapping obligations related to data protection, mandatory notifications, evidence preservation, and coordination with national authorities. This distinction is fundamental. Ransomware incidents are no longer assessed solely by how quickly systems were restored, but by how organizations responded under regulatory pressure: whether decisions were properly documented, notifications were timely, and leadership oversight was demonstrable. As a result, ransomware now represents a heightened form of direct compliance exposure, extending well beyond conventional incident response playbooks. Why 2026 Is a Compliance and Governance Year By 2026, cybersecurity in Saudi Arabia is no longer