A Russian-speaking ransomware affiliate known as Azazel has been caught operating one of the most audacious betrayals in the cybercriminal underground. As an affiliate of the notorious Gentlemen ransomware group, Azazel used the gang's tools, negotiation channels, and ransom note templates while also running an independent leak site called LEAKNED. Rather than routing victim data through the Gentlemen program, he published stolen information independently, exposing victims to extortion attempt
cyberextortion (3)
Google has warned that ransomware gangs are reinventing their business models as traditional encryption-based attacks become less profitable and data-theft extortion surges. According to new analysis, better cybersecurity controls, improved backup strategies, and stronger recovery capabilities mean more victims can restore their systems without paying, directly eroding criminal revenue. However, threat actors are not retreating; they are adapting their methods to make operations harder to disr
South Africa has seen its increases in social upheaval and other political struggles. Cyber-attacks are an additional concern for South Africans to worry about. South Africa has experienced 110 cybercrime incidents involving extortion, ransomware, and state hacking in the past five years, according to Orange Cyberdefense’s inaugural Security Navigator Africa report. This is the highest number in Africa and more than double that of Egypt, which ranked second with 46 incidents between 2020 and
