Ransomware gangs increasingly threaten employees and their families personally
Ransomware attackers are increasingly using psychological pressure and physical threats against employees and their families to push organisations into paying. The tactics can include threatening messages, doxxing, swatting and personal intimidation, adding real-world harm to the financial and operational damage of cyberattacks.
A Semperis survey of 1,200 organisations affected by ransomware found that 37 per cent reported psychological or physical threats: 23 per cent faced psychological intimidation and 17 per cent physical threats. A quarter reported doxxing, another quarter sought psychological or medical treatment, and 53 per cent said attackers had carried out threats in the past year. Incident response consultant Tim Beasley advises executives to stand firm under pressure.
- Ransomware threats increasingly reach victims’ families and homes.
- 37 per cent of surveyed organisations reported intimidation or physical threats.
- More than half said attackers followed through on threats.
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Ransomware is a type of cyberattack in which criminals lock an organisation’s computer systems or steal its data, then demand money to restore access or prevent the data being published. The disruption can affect services, staff and customers, and attackers may use stolen personal information to increase pressure.
Employees can become targets when attackers contact or expose them, or threaten their families. Doxxing means publishing private information, while swatting involves making a false emergency report to send armed police to someone’s address.
The threats add personal safety and wellbeing concerns to the financial and operational impact of an attack. Organisations must weigh the risks of responding to criminals’ demands while trying to protect staff and restore their systems.
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Originally published by The Register as “Ransomware gets personal: ‘We-know-where-you-are kind of stuff’”.