Ransomware gets personal: 37% of attacks now involve psychological or physical threats
RexDouglass · x · 2026-10-15
The Register reports that Tim Beasley, then lead investigator on Microsoft's DART team, received a package of Russian nesting dolls at his doorstep while investigating Midnight Blizzard, the SVR-linked hacking group — an unsubtle "we-know-where-you-are" intimidation.
Key points:
- A global survey found 37% of ransomware attacks involve psychological or physical threats
- Some groups use cybercrime as a gateway to real-life violence
- Europol flagged 4,340 "horrific" URLs for removal in a crackdown on The Com network
Digital intrusions with physical consequences aren't new, but extortion crews increasingly lean on real-world harm and trauma to force victims to pay.
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