Multinational firm paid ransom in bitcoins to hackers who broke into systems

The Brisbane-based company paid a ransom to the hackers but contacted police after it was attacked again and an executive's child targeted online

Hackers extorted an international company based in Brisbane for a ransom paid out in bitcoin but then escalated their demands by threatening online attacks on a senior employee's child, Queensland police have said.

The company, which police refused to identify, paid the hackers an initial ransom worth thousands of dollars after its computer system was hacked and sensitive data stolen earlier this year.