Security News > 2022 > February > Cybercriminals seeking more than just ransomware payment

Venafi announced the findings of a global survey of IT decision-makers looking into the use of double and triple extortion as part of ransomware attacks.

The data reveals that 83% of successful ransomware attacks now include alternative extortion methods, such as using the stolen data to extort customers, exposing data on the dark web, and informing customers that their data has been stolen.

"Ransomware attacks have become much more dangerous. They have evolved beyond basic security defenses and business continuity techniques like next-gen antivirus and backups," said Kevin Bocek, VP of business development and threat intelligence at Venafi.

"Organizations are unprepared to defend against ransomware that exfiltrates data, so they pay the ransom, but this only motivates attackers to seek more. The bad news is that attackers are following through on extortion threats, even after the ransom has been paid! This means CISOs are under much more pressure because a successful attack is much more likely to create a full-scale service disruption that affects customers."

72% of IT decision-makers agree that ransomware attacks are evolving faster than the security controls needed to protect against them, and 74% agree that ransomware should now be considered a matter of national security.

A further 77% agree that governments should do more to help private companies to defend themselves from ransomware.

News URL

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2022/02/25/extortion-ransomware-attacks/