What do hackers do with the information that they retrieve from the systems that they have hacked into? Do they delete the information and move on to their next target? I highly doubt that. Hackers have been known to use the information they steal from companies, governments, and organizations in various ways.
Some of the information, such as credentials used for logging into web systems and other applications, are usually sold to the highest bidder on the dark market. Some other information can be leaked to the public to tarnish the name of the company that has been hacked.
Hackers have been known to do a lot of things with the data they obtain from their victims. Their main intent in most cyberattacks they carry out on companies is to steal information or destroy it. Their methods, however, have gotten more aggressive as they look for ways and means of earning money from their stolen gains.
These days, hackers are turning to ransom as a means of obtaining money from their stolen information. The information they have stolen from the company will be the hostage, and they will be working closely with their victim to obtain the money.
Holding your Data Hostage
Your data is valuable to you, and when it is in the hands of hackers, you will find it important. The hackers know the value of the data they have stolen from your company and use it to their advantage. They will use the information to establish a relationship with their victims. They will get in touch with the victims with a threat to their data to get money for the information that they have just stolen from the very same victims.
Your data might have been copied to the hackers’ servers and all the local copies of the same information deleted. There will be only one copy of the information; that with the hackers will be very hard to obtain. The hackers will hold all this data hostage to force you to pay to get it back. They usually have very deadly threats about the data, with some hackers claiming they will delete the data and break off all connections to the victims to threaten them. The danger of your data being held hostage is very real, and the desperate hackers will say anything to get you to pay for your data.
The hackers will also ensure that you do not have any other copies of the data they have stolen from your servers. They do this to make their threats more realistic and ensure that you will give in to their demands. When you have backups of the hackers’ data to obtain payment from you, it will be easier for you to shrug them off and walk away from the deal. However, when you do not have any backup, you will be more likely to cooperate with the very same people currently holding your data hostage. Hackers do all this to make you pay for your data, and if you do not cooperate with them, you will inevitably lose all your data.
In other cases, the hackers will not move any of your data. They will not even copy a single file to their local servers. Instead, what they do when they break into your information system is to encrypt all the stored information. This way, the hackers will be able to make you pay for the decryption of the information. The information will not be of any use to you in the current encrypted state as you do not have a decryption key. Hackers have used this move to obtain money from the owners of the information.
Usually, the hackers will charge on a per-file basis to get the information decrypted for them. The hackers will also ensure that they have used the most complicated encryption methods for the information that they have found on your system. Once they have encrypted it, they will inform you that your systems have been compromised and all the information you had stored on it has been encrypted.
In the encrypted state, all this information will be useless to you, and there is no way that you will be able to recover your data. This presents the data owners with a very tricky scenario where they need to pay to get their data restored to the state that it was in. Unless the victim can pay, the data will remain encrypted, and they will not be able to use it in any way.
Hackers are advancing in how they make use of the information. With the ability to break into systems, they have now advanced to using the stolen information to make money from the victims. The victims usually have no other choice in the matter and usually have to part with large sums of money in Bitcoin to ensure that their data is returned to them safely and does not get deleted. Recovering data will be the main priority for the victims, and they will not be concerned with anything else.
Additionally, hackers also send threats of deleting the information that they have stolen from their victims if the authorities are informed in any way. Reporting to the authorities will mean that the hackers will have been found, and they can be traced. However, the hackers will ensure that they have made their threat very clear and will ensure that they make use of temporary means of receiving the payments in such a manner as to avoid and even prevent the transactions from being traced back to them.
Usually, the hackers will create an anonymous bank account to receive the money from their victims. Here, they will receive the money and withdraw it as soon as it has been deposited. Once they have evidence of the money, they will free the hostages by sending the data back to their victims or decrypting the information they had encrypted on the victim’s computer systems.
Data is a valuable and precious resource for many companies and businesses. These entities can keep themselves running and providing services to their clients, customers, and partners. The same data is also very valuable when it has fallen into the wrong hands, and the reason hackers are using stolen data to profit from their evil gains.
Ransomware is a method that hackers use to take advantage of their helpless victims by asking for money to give the data back to them. The hackers are usually unable to sell the information that they have stolen from the companies owing to its specific nature. They must then negotiate with the companies they stole the information from to get payments for their data.
Why Hackers Use Ransomware
Hackers have been under the careful eye of the law for a very long time. Their activities have been keenly followed, and as such, their favorite hide-outs were no longer viable for trading in the spoils they gained. Without a safe place to trade their data troves stolen from hacking sprees, the hackers resorted to selling back the data from the very same entities they had stolen from.
This came to be known as ransomware and has been used by various hacking teams for a very long time to obtain payment for the same information that is being stolen. There are many reasons why hackers resort to ransomware instead of selling the data to other parties.
For starters, the data is more precious to the owner than any other party. This makes the data owner the highest bidder, and they will be ready to part with any amount to get their data back. The other parties that can be called in to purchase the data will not be willing to pay as much, and they will negotiate for lower prices.
This leaves the hackers with only one option, selling the data back to the owner. The owners of the information that the hacker has stolen will have no qualms about buying back the information, and they will be ready to pay any amount that has been asked for by the hackers.
The hackers will also spend less time negotiating for the data with the original owner. Reaching an agreement will also be easier with the actual owner of the data, which means that ransomware is a more attractive option for hackers. The hackers will usually resort to ransomware when they know the value of the data to the original owners. The owners will be more willing to pay for the data, and the negotiation process will be very short.
The use of ransomware means that the hackers do not have to involve many parties in selling the data they have obtained from their hacked systems. As such, they will keep the matter private and involve as few parties as possible. This makes it more convenient and even easier to sell the information that hackers have stolen. By involving fewer parties, selling the stolen data will be much easier for the hackers, and they will be able to make faster gains from their data.
Ransomware also places the hackers in a position to dictate the price of getting back the stolen information. When the hackers can set a price for the stolen data, they can get a return from it, which means that they will get a faster return on the data. The hackers are also in greater control of the negotiation process, and the business proceedings following the ransomware will involve very few parties.
Given the nature of the hackers, the negotiations will go on more easily, and they will even be able to get better returns on their data. Without many parties to negotiate with, the hackers will have an easier time dictating the terms of the ransom and what they require from the owners of the information.
With ransomware, hackers have better alternatives to gain money from their data than selling it on the dark market. Modern data usage and privacy regulations by governments are also making it harder for people to use stolen data as it is usually considered useless when stolen. However, placing a greater value on the data makes it possible for the hackers to earn a return from the information.
Promising to return this stolen data as soon as they have been paid, the hackers will be able to get paid since the data owner does not have any other backup of the information. The owners will be ready to pay for the data, and the ransomware will be used to benefit the hacker. The hackers will also have an easier time selling the information when they are sure that the owner does not have any other alternatives or options in the matter.
The reason hackers are increasingly making use of ransomware is the fact that the owners take less time to pay for the data, and it does not involve many people. Additionally, ransomware ensures that the hackers can keep the matter as brief as possible. Since the data owners so badly need it to resume their business activities, ransomware is the more attractive option for hackers. The hackers will not have to wait for long before receiving their money, and the owners of the information will not follow up once they have gotten their data back.
Ransomware is also preferred for the reason that it does not attract much attention. The owners of the information will b ready to do anything to ensure that word about the matter does not leave the premises. They will be ready to negotiate to get their data back in the same state that it was in before it was stolen. The reason hackers are increasingly using ransomware is that the negotiations are also easy.
Interacting with the victims is easy for the hackers since the hackers already have much information about them. They can easily use this information to get the necessary payment from the owners and keep the conversation private and secure. In such an environment where there are not many parties involved, the hackers will enjoy a smoother sale of their data.
The ransomware is also still relatively fresh, and as such, it is still very effective. The authorities have not yet been able to get around the small matter of the businesses being threatened if they dare report the incidence. As such, the silence prevents the authorities from intervening.
Ransomware is still very effective for getting paid for stolen data by the original owners. Since it has been proven to work even in cases where the government itself was involved, it is the main choice for hackers. Modern hackers will use ransomware when they have stolen information from companies to reduce the negotiations and ensure that they get the money they are asking for.
Hackers do not like to spend much time on interactions, and the conversation with their victims will be very short. They will be straight to the point and very direct with their threats to get what they want in exchange for the data.
How it Goes Down: Ransomware
The way ransomware happens is that the hackers first pick a victim to hack into. They will use the same tools and methods that they have been using over the years to break into the victim’s system. Once they have broken into the system, they will copy the information to their servers as fast as possible and delete all the data on the systems they have hacked. The hackers will also encrypt the information on the local computers if they do not have the time to copy the information.
Once the hackers have information that is precious and dear to the owners, they will establish contact with the victims. Usually, at this point, the victim does not even know that they have been hacked. They will be unaware when they are informed that they have been hacked and information has been stolen from their systems. In this dizzy moment and the surprise that the victims will be experiencing, the hackers will take over the show and hypnotize them with interesting facts about the hack they have performed.
Once the victims have been informed about their data and where it currently is, the hackers will give them a moment to let the news sink in. this will allow for the victims to have a chance to negotiate for their information back. But before this, the hackers will already have formed a proposal for the victims that need their data back or restored into a usable state.
They will set a price for getting back the information, which will be the ransom for the hackers’ data. When the victims know how much is being asked for, they will be allowed a moment to negotiate. However, this is usually very unlikely as the hackers are the dictators of how much they intend to charge for getting their information back.
With a price already set, it will be upon the hackers to provide a means of payment for the victims to pay for the information. Arrangements will be made to facilitate the payment and the returning or decryption of the data that belongs to the victims. All this time, the two parties will be working to agree that they are not to involve any third parties in the negotiation.
As such, they will not involve the police or any other authorities in the ransomware. The victims will have a single line of communication with the hackers, which will usually be very confidential and usually anonymous. This line of communication will also be solely used for the data hostage negotiations only and will be quickly disposed of once the show is over.
The hackers are also very careful when carrying out the ransomware negotiations as they want to attract as little attention as possible. They will ensure that they are holding on to valuable information to their victims and the kind of information they will be willing to pay the set price to get back.
The victims will also be perplexed while the negotiations and settlements are being made. They will barely have time to think about anything else since the information being held hostage is usually the urgent kind. For this reason, the owners will have to make haste with the payments to get the information back.
The hackers, on their part, will have to do enough research to ensure that they obtain the kind of information that will catch the owners’ attention. Sensitive records and other crucial information are usually the targets of the hacker’s attack, and they will ensure that they steal this information first.
When they have done this, they will also ensure that they have stolen considerable amounts of data from the victim’s servers to get their full attention when negotiating the ransom for the information. The owners of the information will have no other option but to cooperate in the negotiations and pay the requested amount to get the data back.
Once the payments have been made, the owners of the information will have it uploaded back to the same servers that it was stolen from. They will also be sent a confirmation that the stolen data has been restored to where it was, and the payment has been received.
The process is quite very simple and straightforward, which is what the hackers want to avoid complications. It also ensures that they get their payment in good time to restore the services to the victims and be on their way.
Companies that are Targeted in Ransomware Attacks
The companies that are known to offer critical services are usually the main targets of ransomware attacks. For instance, power companies and oil pipelines are sensitive parts of the economy. Without these companies running, the economy might be forced to slow down or halt, which is not pleasing for governments.
As a result, the companies targeted by these attacks will be ready to pay any amount to get their services and information restored. Without these services, the company is likely to run into even greater losses, and they will be ready to give the hackers the amount they have asked for to keep operating.
Governments and other non-profit organizations are also the targets of ransomware attacks. The hackers take advantage of organizations that need to use the information they are stealing from them for them to be able to get the amounts they are asking for. The owners of the information will most likely require this information to render services to their customers and clients.
Without the information, these companies will not continue operating, which is why ransomware is very attractive for hackers. The hackers will be ready to do anything to get these to companies and steal their information.
E-commerce companies are also targeted in ransomware attacks. The hackers usually look for the credentials of the customers that do business with these companies. Instead of selling the data to other parties, the hackers will use the same information to threaten the companies that own it.
They will threaten to sell the information or leak it to the public unless they are compensated. The e-commerce companies, to save their public face and keep things silent, will be ready to part with any amount to avoid losing face when the username and password list is leaked to the public.
Additionally, the hackers are very sure that these victims are the kind that will be ready to pay. The negotiations are very easy, and getting paid for the stolen information will not be complicated. The hackers will spend less time negotiating, and they will set higher bounties for the information. These companies have the financial power to pay any amount that the hackers ask for and are a very attractive target of ransomware attacks.
The hackers have a long list of potential clients and companies to target with their ransomware attacks. Whenever they need to make some money selling information back to their owners, they will pick one and start working on the hack immediately. They will ensure that they have done enough research about the target before they can hack into their system.
The research will inform them about the target and what information can be considered the most precious. When they know what matters most to their victims, this is the information that they will target and steal from the victim’s servers. They will look for the information that will attract the immediate attention of the victims and make them more likely to start a negotiation for getting back the data.
Hackers also target government facilities in ransomware attacks. These facilities usually provide critical services to the citizens, such as energy or fuel. If some of the services have been stopped by the hackers, the facilities will have to cough out a figure to cover the cost of restoration of the services. With this in place, the hackers will have a way of getting additional income from the critical sections of the government.
Whenever the government is being targeted in a ransomware attack, they will try as much as they can to keep things very silent. They will avoid any attention and make sure that they make the necessary payments that have been asked for in good time.
As such, they will be able to revive their services to their citizens in a very short while. The interruption of key government services has been used for a long time by hackers to ask for ransom from the government, which has kept ransomware thriving for a long time.
The reason ransomware is very attractive to hackers is the fact that it is effective and profitable. The hackers do not have to wait for a longer time before a buyer can show up for the data, and they also deal directly with the victims. As such, they reduce the processes involved in getting paid for the data, and they can always try the same trick on other companies.
The approach for ransomware is also much quieter, and the hackers will not have to be any worried about attracting attention. Both parties in the negotiation will want to make the affair very short, and for this reason, they will spend very little time bargaining.
As long as the information is available in intact form, the victims will be ready to pay the amount that the hackers are asking to get back their data. They will also want the process to be made short enough to allow the victims to get back in business before losing any more opportunities.
Shortfalls of Ransomware Attacks
Ransomware attacks are outright unfair for the victims. The victims do not have much say or room for negotiation in the matter, and it is usually a one-sided negotiation. The hackers have the upper hand in everything involved in the ransomware attack, and it does not benefit the victim in a significant way.
Additionally, the ransomware attack is also outright wrong and will usually displease the victims who are being forced to pay to get back data originally theirs. Without any other options, the victims are usually required to pay to get back their data, and there is no additional value or service that they will get from the hackers. This is a disadvantage that does not benefit the victims who will get the same information, and there is nothing else of use that they will be getting from the hackers.
Hackers are the only party that can benefit from the ransomware attacks as they are in charge of the stolen information and can decide what they will do with it. The ransomware attacks are also brutal, and the risk involved is spine-chilling for the victims who need to get their data back. Without any other option, the victims are forced to play along to get their data back or risk losing their entire data trove to the hackers.
Benefits of Ransomware Attacks
After the entire unpleasant ordeal, the company that is the victim of the ransomware attack has an opportunity to get its data back. Additionally, they will also receive useful tips and pointers from the hackers on ways of protecting their information better.
The hacker was able to break into their systems and steal the information in the first place means that there are a lot of vulnerabilities that have been discovered and exploited to take over the victim’s information systems. With ransomware, the company that has been hacked will be able to improve its information systems.
The defenses in place to safeguard the information will also be improved a lot more after the ransomware attack. All the points of entry that the hackers used will be sealed and patched up to ensure that the company does not lose information to the hackers again.
It is also an opportunity for the victims to improve their security systems and upgrade their applications to avoid any further data loss from their systems. Following the attack, the victim has a chance to patch things up and make their systems secure in such a manner that any more attacks will not be possible.
The company also gets a chance to encounter the hackers in real life and appreciate that hackers do exist and can indeed get into information systems. Once the victim is aware of the kind of damage that the hackers can do, they will become more conscious of their security and the practices that might have led to the lapse in security.
The company, for instance, will be able to restructure itself to ensure that any parties that were not doing their jobs properly are replaced or given different jobs to allow for more serious professionals to take over securing the systems and keeping the information safe.
The hackers will have benefited the companies by showing them that their security systems are not strong enough to take on hacking attacks. They will also provide useful pointers on how security for information systems and online applications can be improved.
The companies will strengthen their defenses and get into better formation to take on any future attacks that other hackers might attempt. With better security in place, the companies that have had a brush with the hackers will secure themselves and their information better. As such, the ransomware attacks are not entirely bad as they can always be used for the good of the companies that have been attacked and fallen victims to the hackers.
Ransomware attacks are also a clear sign that hackers are getting braver and more direct in their attacks. Instead of stealing information and selling it off to other buyers, the hackers have turned to the same people they have stolen the information from to buy it back. This shows that hackers are changing their strategies and should call for the companies that fall victims to these attacks.
The hackers are evolving in their approach, and their adoption of new hacking methods and profiting from their stolen data is evidence of this. Companies will not be ready for all kinds of new attacks from the hackers, and even when the hackers improve their approach, the companies will not be surprised with the new strategies and tactics that the hackers will adopt.
Hackers have been busy creating new methods for getting money for their information, and this is evident owing to the results that we have gotten with ransomware. They are getting more confident and brave in their approach, and the companies that maintain information systems should take this as a sign that hackers are getting edged off the playing field.
The security improvements that have been taking place over the years have forced hackers to take on a new approach, which is why ransomware is being used to ensure that companies pay to get back the information stolen from them. It might also be a sign that the security upgrades that companies have been taking on have been working, and the hackers have had to upgrade their strategies to stay relevant. From my perspective, it is a sign that hackers are getting tougher challenges as companies become aware of the need to secure their information.
Conclusion
Ransomware is a form of attack in which attackers and hackers hold your information hostage and expect you to part with a sum to get back your information. When you are the victim of a ransomware attack, you will barely understand what is taking place in the world around you as you grapple with the reality of the attack that has taken place. The importance of the information that has been stolen from your system will cause you to pay full attention to what the hackers have to say.
With ransomware, hackers have upped the ante and stepped up their game by requiring the victims to steal information to pay for them to get it back. The negotiations are usually very quick and only involve the hackers and the victim. The involvement of any other party will lead to the data getting deleted or the hackers pulling out from the negotiations until there is no longer any attention on them.
These attacks have been very effective and have led to many companies losing out on a lot of information. In other cases, the hackers do not make good on their promise to return the data, which leads to further losses.
A ransomware attack is a high-risk attack known to involve massive odds, and whenever they occur, all the parties have a huge stake in the matter. The companies are forced to cooperate to get back their data in an intact state and use it to continue running their businesses.
Data and information are valuable resources for companies and are being used by hackers who want to make money by holding data hostage. Even though the idea may sound unrealistic, it has been done on many companies, including government agencies, and huge amounts were involved in the ransomware attacks. However, most of the attacks go unreported as silence is required. The companies also do not report the incidences, which means that the attacks might even be a lot more serious than we can begin to imagine.
