Ransomware gangs are getting desperate for results. Generally known for encrypting and leaking data on the internet, they have now started blackmailing CEOs with physical violence.
CEO’s get physically threatened
Cybersecurity experts from Semperis say that over the past year, in 40% of ransomware attacks, the CEOs of the victim company were physically attacked, which is particularly prevalent in US-based organizations, at 46%.
However, even paying the attackers is not enough. The research revealed that over 55% of businesses that paid a ransom had to do so multiple times, with around 29% of those firms paying three or more times, and 15% didn’t even receive decryption keys, while in a few cases, they received corrupted keys.
New ransomware tactics
Blackmailing to file a regulatory complaint is also a famous tactic, Semperis said. It was found in 47% of attacks, increasing to 58% in the US.
In 2023, the notorious BlackCat ransomware gang reported one of its victims to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to make them pay. This was done because the SEC requires organizations to report about a cybersecurity incident if there is a breach, which includes the SEC’s four-day disclosure rule for publicly traded businesses.
Ransomware on the rise
Ransomware attacks have threatened businesses and the cybersecurity industry for decades, constantly evolving and outsmarting security profe
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