Skip to main content

Tag: data extortion

13 articles

Airport terminal interior with passengers and blurred check-in counter.

FulcrumSec Hack Exposes 86 GB of Manchester Airports Data

Manchester Airports Group swiftly sprang into action after a hack, reassuring customers that they've taken robust measures to safeguard their info and reaching out to those affected, including those with upcoming bookings, to offer extra support. Meanwhile, hackers FulcrumSec claimed responsibility, boasting of swiping 86 GB of sensitive data.

Analyst 207
Empty office with computer and papers, blurred cityscape behind.

Rockstar Games Leak Exposes Insider Threat Risks

The leak of Grand Theft Auto VI footage by CyberLeek has highlighted the devastating risks of insider threats, where stolen IP can destroy the hard work and livelihoods of employees and companies. This breach has exposed a gaping hole between traditional copyright enforcement and the evolving tactics of threat actors.

Analyst 207
Modern office equipment sits amidst scattered papers outside a brightly-lit office building or data center.

ExfilSquad Breaches 13 Organizations Via Misconfigured Microsoft Power Pages

Meet ExfilSquad, a notorious data-extortion group that's made off with a whopping 27 million records and 382.64 GB of sensitive data from 13 major organizations across government, education, finance, and manufacturing. The stolen treasure trove was dumped online for all to see, courtesy of a simple misconfiguration in Microsoft Power Pages.

Analyst 207
Law enforcement officer walks past blurred computer equipment outside a courthouse.

Snowflake hacker pleads guilty to massive data extortion scheme

In a major win for justice, Connor Moucka, a Canadian national, has pleaded guilty to masterminding a massive data extortion scheme targeting Snowflake customer environments, a case that could put him behind bars for up to 32 years. The guilty plea marks a significant milestone in one of the most expansive data-theft-and-extortion campaigns of 2024.

Analyst 207
Dimly lit police station interior with scattered papers and files, suggesting disarray.

ExfilSquad Breach Exposes Data of 100,000 UK Police Officers

A massive data breach has hit the UK police force, with a hacking group claiming to have stolen sensitive information from over 100,000 officers, including names, organizations, and email addresses. The breach, attributed to ExfilSquad, has left thousands of police personnel and government partners vulnerable to potential identity theft and harassment.

Analyst 207
Brightly-lit office setting with phone on desk, blurred background, and corporate elements.

Threat Actors Exploit Vishing, Physical Intrusions in US Data Extortion Campaign

Meet UNC3753, a notorious group of threat actors using clever voice phishing and social engineering tactics to infiltrate US corporate environments and steal sensitive data. Their deceitfully simple attacks start with a phone call or email and quickly escalate into rapid data theft and ransom demands.

Analyst 207
Dimly lit law office hallway with doors ajar, hinting at vulnerability and unauthorized access.

FBI Warns Law Firms of Silent Ransom Group's In-Person Data Heists

The FBI is sounding the alarm for US-based law firms after the Silent Ransom Group, a notorious data-extortion gang, claimed over 100 attacks - with a recent surge in activity that's left experts on high alert. This group's twist? They're using in-person tactics, combined with social engineering, to get their hands on sensitive data.

Analyst 207
Concerned office worker sits at desk, staring at paper or laptop screen with blurred cityscape in background.

FBI Warns Law Firms of In-Person Extortion Tactics by Silent Ransom Group

The FBI is sounding the alarm for US law firms, warning them of a growing threat from the Silent Ransom Group, which targets the legal industry for its highly sensitive data and uses in-person extortion tactics. This group has been linked to a string of incidents, and the FBI is urging law firms to be vigilant.

Analyst 207
A brightly-lit school hallway with a computer screen displaying a blurred extortion message, surrounded by lockers and desks.

ShinyHunters Targets Canvas in High-Stakes Data Extortion Bid

ShinyHunters has made a brazen move, claiming to have stolen a massive 3.65 terabytes of data from Canvas, putting 275 million records across 8,809 school systems at risk. The cybercriminal group is now demanding an undisclosed ransom from Instructure, escalating threats by hijacking login pages at hundreds of institutions.

Analyst 207
New Extortion Crews Mimic Scattered Spider Tactics in Rapid Attacks

New Extortion Crews Mimic Scattered Spider Tactics in Rapid Attacks

New extortion crews, Cordial Spider and Snarky Spider, are rapidly carrying out data-theft-for-extortion campaigns, closely mimicking the tactics of notorious group Scattered Spider. These financially motivated groups, tied to The Com, have been targeting US-based organizations since October 2025.

Analyst 207
Secure operations center with analysts, computer screens, and VMware ESXi and Windows servers displayed.

Kyber Ransomware Targets Windows, VMware with Post-Quantum Encryption

Meet the Kyber Ransomware, a potent threat that targets both Windows and VMware environments with cutting-edge, post-quantum encryption. This sophisticated malware has been found to strike multiple systems at once, as seen in a March 2026 incident where two variants were deployed on the same network.

Analyst 207
Person in shadows holds smartphone with glowing screen, surrounded by papers and laptop with ransom message, cityscape…

Germany Faces Resurgence in Cyber Extortion Attacks

Germany has taken a concerning leap to the forefront of Europe's cyber extortion crisis, with a 92% surge in data leak victims listed in 2025 - nearly triple the European average. This alarming trend highlights the country's growing vulnerability to targeted cyber attacks.

Analyst 207
Shadowy figure looms over crumpled paper with ransom note and helpdesk phone number in dimly lit scene.

Google Exposes New Extortion Group Targeting BPOs and Helpdesks

A new extortion group, uncovered by Google's threat intelligence team, is setting its sights on Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) companies and helpdesks, posing a significant threat to the service layers that many businesses rely on. This emerging threat, possibly linked to the notorious "Raccoon" persona, has the potential to create widespread pressure points across multiple organizations.

Analyst 207