The corporatisation of ransomware

New groups are embracing ‘professionalism’ in a search for growth

The rise of new-style corporate ransomware hackers is explored in an article by Wired. Groups like DarkSide and REvil offer services to hackers including specialist tools, affiliate (profit-sharing) models and chat support. They even make ‘corporate responsibility’ commitments, pledging not to attack hospitals, schools and non-profits. The groups hold stolen data on the dark web and use a ‘carrot and stick’ strategy, where compliant victims (‘partners’, in hacker jargon) are offered discounts and discretion, while companies who resist have their data auctioned off in a glare of publicity. The magazine describes the vicious cycle in which growing revenues – thought to be over $6 billion in the US last year – fund ever-more sophisticated tools and the ability to attack bigger and more lucrative targets. Read more