Unprecedented Number of Ransomware Victims Identified on Leak Websites

Alright, my friend, have a seat, grab a cuppa, and let’s chat about the latest in cybersecurity news, especially about this naughty practice of ‘naming and shaming’ on ransomware leak sites. Stunning stuff, isn’t it? What a cheek, huh?

Alright, let me fill you in from the top, right? So, there’s this rather eye-opening report from Secureworks, stating that the tally of victims named on ransomware leak sites rocketed to unprecedented proportions in a short span of four months, between March and June 2023.

Now, I know what you’re thinking. You’re sitting there jaw-dropped thinking, “How’s that even possible?” Well, mate, I wish I had a better answer to give you. But the cold hard facts are these. The year 2023 is quickly shaping up to be the largest year in the records for this shameful victim naming practice on ransomware leak sites. And to think, it only kicked off in 2019. It almost makes your tea go cold, doesn’t it?

Here’s another little shocker; there’s this little whisper going around that the 10,000th name was dropped on these notorious ‘name and shame’ sites by the end of the summer in 2023. Can you believe that? Even though Secureworks hasn’t approved this bit of gossip yet, I can’t help but think there’s no smoke without fire!.

Now, I understand you may be asking, “Well, what’s so worrying about this, mate?” Allow me to explain: These so-called ransomware sites, my old friend, are nothing short of blackguardly. They aren’t just content with infecting the computers of innocent folk and organisations with malicious software. No, they also have taken to leaking the victims’ details, names in particular, onto these public platforms for all and sundry to see. Blimey, it’s ruthless.

And it doesn’t stop there. After revealing these names, they go on and play a cruel cat-and-mouse game with the victims. These cyber thugs make it known to the victims that their sensitive information is hanging out there in the digital wind, visible to anyone. Their hope? That out of sheer desperation or fear, these poor souls would cough up a grand ransom to get their details removed from the site, bringing the grim game to a close.

This, my friend, is a rather revolting evolution in cybercrime, right? It’s about as British as baked beans on a pizza. The brutal fact that the number of victims is skyrocketing, it’s a harsh wake-up call, isn’t it? Time to really step up and take precautions to protect our digital neighbourhoods.

So, keep your wits about you, be savvy about strange emails or unexpected attachments you get. Don’t feed the trolls, alright? And let’s hope that the good folks managing cyber security can pull a blinder and put a stop to this nasty business.

Now that you’re all caught up on this impending digital doom, I’ll leave you to finish your tea. It’s been quite a chinwag, hasn’t it? Stay safe out there in cyberspace, chum. Don’t let the cyber-bullies get you down.

by Parker Bytes