4 ms·

The problem with paying extortion or ransoms is that you incentivize the attacker to come back and do it again. It may have been $5k to pay off one attacker and

by vsnf 2y ago

The problem with paying extortion or ransoms is that you incentivize the attacker to come back and do it again. It may have been $5k to pay off one attacker and more than that to build the defense, but now you have defenses and are less likely to suffer attackers in the future. And as you say, not paying money to criminals is inherently worthwhile.

aleksiy123 2y ago
On the other hand the attacker may actually have incentive to follow through and hold up their end so as to build a reputation. Making their next victims more likely to just pay. Somewhere I read that some ransomware had excellent "customer" service for helping you transfer over the payment and promptly restore your files.
- soraminazuki 2y ago
  Scammers acting like an adult is hard to believe. They’re usually quick to start yelling and cursing in Kitboga videos.
  - dhosek 2y ago
    The serious organized crime outfits are very organized. They’ll provide customer support to walk you through purchasing and transferring the bitcoin.
- sedatk 2y ago
  “Ransomware Reality Shock: 92% Who Pay Don’t Get Their Data Back” https://www.forbes.com/sites/daveywinder/2021/05/02/ransomware-reality-shock-92-who-pay-dont-get-their-data-back/?sh=679851dce0c7 https://www.forbes.com/sites/daveywinder/2021/05/02/ransomwa...
  - wruza 2y ago
    This stat includes everyone, some of them may not research what hit them. One of my clients decrypted his database twice, after seeing on the internet that they actually send a decryption key.
    - sedatk 2y ago
      Oh, got it. So, the next ransomware author should just brand their ransomware as one of the "honest" ones :)
- mort96 2y ago
  I mean it's not like these people are operating under " long lived identities and want to build a long term business relationship with you. From their side, the logic seems as simple as: repeat the attack -> some chance of more money, don't repeat the attack -> 0% chance of more money
fragmede 2y ago
and this wasn't a poor company, so $5,000 was nothing in the scheme of things
thaumasiotes 2y ago
It is often a temptation to a rich and lazy nation To puff and look important and to say Though we know we should defeat you We have not the time to beat you We will therefore give you cash to go away And that is called paying the Dane-Geld And we've proved it again and again That if once you have paid him the Dane-Geld You never get rid of the Dane
dextro42 2y ago
This might something for you (and the repliers): From the german chaos computer clubs yearly meeting. Linus talks about what to do and who ransoms work, how "well" the service is and briefly pros and cons of paying. https://media.ccc.de/v/37c3-12134-hirne_hacken_hackback_edition https://media.ccc.de/v/37c3-12134-hirne_hacken_hackback_edit... Also a good one was the first part: https://media.ccc.de/v/36c3-11175-hirne_hacken https://media.ccc.de/v/36c3-11175-hirne_hacken

by vsnf 2y ago

aleksiy123 2y ago

On the other hand the attacker may actually have incentive to follow through and hold up their end so as to build a reputation. Making their next victims more likely to just pay. Somewhere I read that some ransomware had excellent "customer" service for helping you transfer over the payment and promptly restore your files.

soraminazuki 2y ago
Scammers acting like an adult is hard to believe. They’re usually quick to start yelling and cursing in Kitboga videos.
- dhosek 2y ago
  The serious organized crime outfits are very organized. They’ll provide customer support to walk you through purchasing and transferring the bitcoin.
sedatk 2y ago
“Ransomware Reality Shock: 92% Who Pay Don’t Get Their Data Back” https://www.forbes.com/sites/daveywinder/2021/05/02/ransomware-reality-shock-92-who-pay-dont-get-their-data-back/?sh=679851dce0c7 https://www.forbes.com/sites/daveywinder/2021/05/02/ransomwa...
- wruza 2y ago
  This stat includes everyone, some of them may not research what hit them. One of my clients decrypted his database twice, after seeing on the internet that they actually send a decryption key.
  - sedatk 2y ago
    Oh, got it. So, the next ransomware author should just brand their ransomware as one of the "honest" ones :)
mort96 2y ago
I mean it's not like these people are operating under " long lived identities and want to build a long term business relationship with you. From their side, the logic seems as simple as: repeat the attack -> some chance of more money, don't repeat the attack -> 0% chance of more money

fragmede 2y ago

and this wasn't a poor company, so $5,000 was nothing in the scheme of things

thaumasiotes 2y ago

It is often a temptation to a rich and lazy nation To puff and look important and to say Though we know we should defeat you We have not the time to beat you We will therefore give you cash to go away And that is called paying the Dane-Geld And we've proved it again and again That if once you have paid him the Dane-Geld You never get rid of the Dane

dextro42 2y ago

This might something for you (and the repliers): From the german chaos computer clubs yearly meeting. Linus talks about what to do and who ransoms work, how "well" the service is and briefly pros and cons of paying. https://media.ccc.de/v/37c3-12134-hirne_hacken_hackback_edition https://media.ccc.de/v/37c3-12134-hirne_hacken_hackback_edit... Also a good one was the first part: https://media.ccc.de/v/36c3-11175-hirne_hacken https://media.ccc.de/v/36c3-11175-hirne_hacken