These developments caused both new strains of ransomware to be created and pre-existing strains to copy the new tactics. They use this site to upload sample files of victim data as proof of the hack, and if the victims refuse to pay, they eventually upload all of their data to the site for anyone to download. They were the first to utilize a “name-and-shame” website to publish the names of victims who had refused to comply with ransom demands. The frontrunners in this new business model were the actors behind the “ Maze” ransomware. This model turns what was already a potentially long and expensive recovery from a ransomware attack into a data breach, causing victim companies to comply with required legal and notification requirements and face potential lawsuits and brand reputation damage. The deadly duo: Ransomware with h ack and leakīy late 2019, threat actors had devised a business model combining ransomware capable of infecting a company’s networks with data theft and a method of publicly shaming non-compliant victims, thereby drastically increasing their chance of successful extortion. This was a watershed moment for ransomware, putting it firmly in the public eye, as it affected many large organisations, caused widespread damage and required a global response. Use of this tactic was accelerated in 2017 when the WannaCry ransomware spread across the globe, becoming the first strain to be ‘wormable’-it propagated through the ‘EternalBlue’ exploit. Ransomware – Ransomware evolved from encrypting individual systems to whole networks, making it ideal for extorting businesses.“The Dark Overlord” (TDO) became the most prolific and well-known threat group in this field between 20-up until the arrest of alleged members, which appeared to put a stop to their activities. Hack-and-Leak Operations – While there are many examples of threat actors hacking targets and leaking data to influence political thought, criminals have also used this tactic for financial gain.This has encouraged criminals to extort companies by threatening to carry out online smear campaigns and posting negative reviews on popular sites, such as Google and Yelp, if a ransom is not paid. Smear Campaigns – Criminals have taken advantage of the fact that many businesses are increasingly reliant on maintaining a positive image on social media and review sites.This tactic tends to see a spike in use during times of fear and anxiety, such as during the COVID-19 pandemic, to add pressure on companies already under strain. Criminals have learned that businesses in certain industries-particularly financial institutions and retailers that rely heavily on their websites for online banking and e-commerce, respectively-incurred very negative effects from downtime on their public-facing, online services. Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) – Threat actors use multiple, connected online devices, collectively known as a botnet, to overwhelm a target website with fake traffic.Threat actors have tried a range of tactics to extort organisations with varying degrees of success, such as: Over the past several years, however, threat actors have begun to realise that extorting businesses-with a bigger attack surface, more humans to socially engineer, a wealth of sensitive data, a reliance on online services and more funds to extort-offer the potential for much more lucrative rewards. For example, extortion spam campaigns have taken on the form of “sextortion” and ransomware has evolved to encrypt whole systems and demand an anonymous cryptocurrency payment for the decryption key. These methods have become more advanced over time. The first threat actors to weaponize extortion online targeted the individual, whether by way of spam campaigns threatening the recipients safety, ransomware to lock victims’ screens and display a message purporting to be from law enforcement demanding payment of a fine, or takeover of accounts containing sensitive information and requests for compensation to prevent the release of data. Threat actors have gotten wise to the devastating consequences businesses face if their most sensitive or valuable data is stolen or if the uptime of their online services is impacted. Although historically seen as a real-world crime committed by gangsters and thugs, extortion has recently taken on new popularity online, especially since cybercriminals have discovered the potential rewards of a successful attack on a large company. Extortion is the practice of obtaining something, especially money, through force or threats.
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