Ransomware Gang is Auctioning Off Victims’ Confidential Data
upstart writes in with an IRC submission:
Ransomware gang is auctioning off victims' confidential data:
The Happy Blog, a dark Web site maintained by the criminals behind the ransomware known by the names REvil, Sodin, and Sodinokibi, began the online bidding process earlier on Tuesday. Previously, the group published limited details of selected victim data and threatened to air additional confidential material if the owners didn't pay. Besides stealing the data, the group also encrypts it so that it's no longer accessible to the owners.
Combining the threat of publishing the data while simultaneously locking it from its rightful owner is designed to increase the chances of a payout. The new tactic furthers the pressure, possibly because previous practices haven't yielded the desired results. The ransoms demanded are frequently high, sometimes in the millions of dollars. Affected companies have also been loath to encourage further attacks by rewarding the people behind them. Added to that reluctance are new financial pressures caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
[...] The scourge of ransomware has thrived because it provides hackers with an easily monetized crime that's payable directly by the victims (assuming they pay). The anonymity of digital currencies such as Monero also play a key role in the success and persistence of the ransomware. The new high-pressure tactic suggests that while the crime has staying power, it may still be difficult to exact payments.
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