Security experts claim that ransomware victims are still paying their cyber attackers, even if their sensitive data and networks were already recovered. Researchers discovered that some organizations, which were previously hacked, are still paying the hackers to prevent further damage to their private networks.
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According to ZDNet's latest report, cybercriminals, especially the most successful ransomware gangs, were able to add new techniques in an effort to force their victims into paying ransoms after they have compromised the victims' networks.
This includes publishing the company's data if they fail to pay the required amount of money. Emsisoft, a cybersecurity company, explained that there are some ransomware victims who were able to completely recover their stolen information and networks.
Why victims are still paying hackers
Although some companies have the capability to restore their sensitive networks, they are still paying the cybercriminals to prevent further damage to their systems, as well as stop them from leaking stolen information.
"Like legitimate businesses, criminal enterprises adopt strategies that are proven to work, and data theft has indeed been proven to work," said the security firm via ZDNet.
"Some organizations which were able to use backups to recover from attacks still paid the ransom simply to prevent their data being published," the company added.
Emsisoft explained in its report called "The State of Ransomware" that criminal enterprises also adopt new techniques and methods that are already proven effective. Because of this, many organizations are still paying them just to prevent them from publishing copies of their stolen data and network systems.
For the last few years, ransomware attacks have affected thousands of victims, including hundreds of healthcare facilities, schools, universities, and government agencies.
Hackers may become more dangerous
Right now, hackers and other cybercriminals may become even more notorious because of the previous massive SolarWinds hack. Experts claimed that the attackers' methods might be copied by other hacking groups.
SolarWinds hackers' techniques were really effective since they were able to breach Microsoft, compromising a huge number of emails. The group was also able to attack Microsoft Azure Cloud infrastructure. What makes the hackers' methods alarming is that they don't rely on vulnerabilities and other flaws that a company can simply patch.
The Wired reported that they use an initial attack the places them to manipulate Microsoft 365 and Azure in a way that looks legitimate. This kind of technique simply shows that hackers are still evolving.
For more news updates about hackers and other cybercriminals, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.
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Written by: Giuliano de Leon.
