Security News > 2024 > January > Cybercriminals replace familiar tactics to exfiltrate sensitive data

Ransomware attacks are increasing again as cybercriminals' motivation shifts to data exfiltration, according to Delinea.

The familiar tactics of crippling a company and holding it hostage have been replaced by new strategies that use stealth to exfiltrate private and sensitive data.

Data exfiltration registered a surge of 39% and became a preferred goal for the attackers, who are now gaining control of a company's network to download sensitive data to sell on the darknet.

"Even as organizations are investing more in safety nets like cyber insurance which often have ransomware payouts included in coverage policies, cybercriminals are finding that using stealth tactics to stay under the radar and access sensitive, valuable information to sell is the better investment of their effort."

As their main goals changed, cybercriminals modified their tactics and moved away from using email as a preferred attack vector, targeting cloud and compromised applications instead. By taking a more covert approach, attackers can remain undetected longer and gain continuous access to systems and data, enabling them to ramp up the damage when they choose.

"The changing strategies and tactics in ransomware attacks require a layered approach to security that mitigates the risk of unauthorized access, even when credentials are compromised," said Joseph Carson, Advisory CISO and Chief Security Scientist at Delinea.

News URL

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2024/01/31/ransomware-attacks-changing-tactics/