China Jails Kidnappers That Demanded ‘Hundreds of Bitcoins’ as Ransom Payment

Chinese authorities have jailed four individuals that were accused of kidnapping one person and demanding “hundreds of bitcoins” as a ransom payment. While the alleged kidnapping is reported to have occurred in the Philippines, the cooperation between the two countries eventually led to the arrest and eventual sentencing of the Chinese kidnappers. A Ransom Demand … Read more

Chairman of Nigerian Economic Crimes Commission: Crypto Growth Is a ‘Far Greater Danger to the World Economy’

The chairman of Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa, has singled out the growth of cryptocurrencies as something that now poses “a far greater danger to the world economy.” Therefore, in order to deal with such dangers or threats, Bawa advocates for a “collective and collaborative approach by authorities around the world.” … Read more

Joe Biden Directs US Intelligence to Investigate Ransomware Attack Against Florida IT Firm

Joe Biden wants to crackdown on ransomware according to statements he made on Friday, after hackers hijacked software from a Miami-based IT supplier called Kaseya. Hundreds of American businesses were affected by the breach as the attackers encrypted the files of some 200 clients. Biden said on Friday that he’s ordered an investigation into the … Read more

G7 Leaders Ask Russia to Urgently Identify Those Who Abuse Cryptocurrency in Ransomware Attacks

The G7 leaders have called on Russia to urgently “identify, disrupt, and hold to account” ransomware hackers and those abusing cryptocurrency to launder ransoms. “We reiterate our interest in stable and predictable relations with Russia, and will continue to engage where there are areas of mutual interest,” the G7 leaders said. G7 Nations Ask Russia … Read more

Stablecoin Issuer Tether Says It Is a Victim of a 500 BTC Ransom Demand Infoleak Threat

Just days after the conclusion of its long-running feud with the Office of the Attorney General of New York, Tether says it is now a victim of an extortion attempt. According to the stablecoin issuer, the blackmailers are threatening to release documents they claim “will harm the bitcoin ecosystem” if their demand for the payment … Read more

Former UK Cyber Intelligence Official Pushes for Law Change to Stop Bitcoin Ransomware Payments

A former U.K. cybersecurity chief has raised concerns that ransomware incidents are close to “getting out of control.” Ciaran Martin has also called for laws to prevent people from paying bitcoin to cybercriminals. Former Official Claims Most of the Cybercriminals Are Based in Russia During an interview with The Guardian, Martin, who was the head … Read more

DDoS Attackers Return With Massive Extortion Campaigns in the Wake of Bitcoin Prices Surging

Threat actors have been finding opportunities in bitcoin’s bullish trend to increase their extortion campaigns. Hackers are actively threatening companies with DDoS attacks unless they pay for bitcoin ransoms. Bull Run Prices Push Extortionists to Increase Bitcoin Ransom Demands According to an alert issued by security firm Radware, there have been several reports between December … Read more

South African Kidnappers Demand a 15 Bitcoin Ransom

Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies have always been appealing to criminals. Whereas most of the illegal activity takes place online, that is not always the case. In South Africa, a kidnapping of a 12-year-old child is making headlines. This is mainly because the kidnappers have demanded a 15 Bitcoin ransom prior to releasing the child. Another … Read more

80% of Companies Are Interested in Bitcoin Transactions, Survey Finds

Another survey has revealed that the business world is eager to start using bitcoin to save on transactions costs and reduce dependence on entrenched systems. However, many companies are still concerned that holding bitcoin will make them a target for hackers. Also Read: Silicon Valley VCs Help Crypto Hedge Fund Reach Quarter Billion Target Survey … Read more