From Ransomware to Ransom War
The Evolution of a Solitary Experiment into Organized Crime
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Date
2024-09
Publication Type
Report
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Abstract
This report is based on chapter one of Max Smeets’ book titled “Ransom War: How Cyber Crime became a Threat to National Security,” forthcoming with Oxford University Press and Hurst Publishers.
Historically, discussions on cyber conflict have primarily centered on the involvement of state-sponsored or affiliated groups. Yet, the growing prominence of criminal actors – specifically, ransomware groups – now demands a shift in attention. Ransomware, a type of malicious activity where hackers lock access to files or systems until a ransom is paid, increasingly threatens both citizen safety and global stability. In 2022, the majority of the U.K’s government’s crisis management “Cobra” meetings were convened in response to ransomware incidents rather than other national security emergencies. According to Sami Khoury, the head of the Canadian Center for Cyber Security, the threat from nation-states remains significant but cybercrime, of which ransomware is the most disruptive form, is “the number one cyber threat activity affecting Canadians.” The Swiss National Cybersecurity Centre warns that ransomware could pose an “existential threat” to businesses and government agencies. This report discusses significant milestones in the development of ransomware, and what turned them into a significant threat to human and national security.
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published
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Center for Security Studies (CSS), ETH Zürich
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Subject
Cyber conflict; Cyber security; Cyber operations
Organisational unit
03515 - Wenger, Andreas / Wenger, Andreas