Publicly traded companies are more severely punished with the Maze ransomware threat actors also sending a detailed press release directly to the stock exchange listing the victim's stock. If a Maze ransomware victim fails to pay, a prepared press release is instantly distributed to media entities and shaming websites to publicize the successful cyber attack. Such an extortion sequence is characteristic of Maze ransomware. Because this strategy has proven to be very effective, it's quickly becoming the standard feature of modern ransomware attacks.Įxfiltration doesn't only create a sense of urgency, it also arms cybercriminals for defamatory media attention. This tender region is created when sensitive data is exfiltrated before it's encrypted with ransomware. With the FBI aggressively pushing its messaging of never complying with ransom demands, cybercriminals have responded with an equally aggressive counterattack to convince victims to do otherwise. Hacktivists groups freely publish stolen data to expose entities that don't align with their personal agendas.īut lately, the line between data breaches and ransomware attacks has been severely narrowed. To motivate faster payments, sometimes cybercriminals instantly begin to precipitously publish a victim's seized data until the ransom is paid.ĭuring a data breach, stolen sensitive data is intentionally accessed so that it can be compromised - usually by being sold on dark web forums.īut monetary gain isn't always the motivation behind data breaches. This is when a ransomware victim is threatened with having their seized data published on the dark web if payment is not made by the due date. This arduous process wastes time and impedes profit margins so it's usually avoided.īut this convenient limitation is exploded during double extortion ransomware attacks. If cybercriminals wanted to access each victim's encrypted files, they'd need to locate and utilize each unique decryption key. Rather than manually managing each victim's unique decryption key, they're stored on separate command and control servers and automatically issued to victims when they pay their ransom. The threat actors responsible for the attack have access to the decryption key, but they're unlikely to review the seized data because they're motivated by monetary gain and not divulging company secrets - time is better spent seeking new victims than thumbing through sensitive files.īecause ransomware campaigns are most profitable when attacks are executed at speed, the entire workflow is usually automated. It's encrypted and inaccessible to anyone without the description key. Usually, during a simple ransomware attack, sensitive data is not exposed to the public. The primary difference between the two cyber incidents is both the speed and degree of sensitive data compromise, where compromise is defined as the malicious use of sensitive data. Examples of sensitive data include:Īccess to any of the above information could lead to financial loss or identity theft. The ransom demand is usually only payable in bitcoin or a similar cryptocurrency because activity on the decentralized payment network is very difficult to track.ĭuring a data breach, cybercriminals aim to access and steal sensitive information. A decryption key is only provided if the victim complies with the ransom payment. What's the Difference Between Data Breaches and Ransomware Attacks?ĭuring a ransomware attack, cybercriminals deploy malware (malicious software) into targeted computer systems to seize and encrypt sensitive data. But what's the difference between these cyber threats and which should you be most concerned about?įor a comprehensive breakdown of each type of cyberattack, read on. Ransomware attacks and data breaches seem to be continuously contending for the top positions in news feeds.
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