Ransomware victims are paying the ransom in record numbers

My thought is  simple, all these people get Ransomware, do they use any AV's?  if yes how liable is the AV company?  Webroot has a system called rollback and will give free assistance with current subscriptions. But what about the other ones I wonder.
 
November 2, 2017  By Help Net Security
 
Intermedia examined the critical security behavioral habits of more than 1,000 office workers.
 

 

Ransomware attacks continue to grow exponentially

 
The threat of ransomware, when hackers infect devices with a virus and hold data hostage until a sum of money has been paid, is only getting worse. According to Cybersecurity Ventures, global ransomware damage costs are predicted to exceed $5 billion in 2017, which is up from $325 million in 2015. Our latest study shows that the average amount paid in ransom among office workers now stands at approximately $1,400.
 
Full Article.