Ox Thief’s Comedic Extortion Tactics: Ransomware Gets Desperate with Snowden Threats
Ox Thief, a dark web extortion crew, is taking ransomware to new comedic heights. They’ve threatened to call Edward Snowden if victims don’t pay, as if Snowden moonlights as a data breach therapist. Fortra’s analysts say this marks a bizarre evolution in ransomware tactics, where extortionists pivot to legal and media threats for leverage.
Hot Take:
When ransomware gangs start threatening to call Edward Snowden, you know they’re running out of ideas and possibly running out of patience. Ox Thief’s extortion tactics are like a soap opera with a hacker twist, where the drama escalates faster than you can say “data breach”. If they keep this up, they might as well threaten to call Batman next. Spoiler alert: He’s not going to answer either.
Key Points:
- Ox Thief threatens victims with a virtual laundry list of legal, financial, and reputational consequences to incite payment.
- Their scare tactics include contacting big names like Edward Snowden and infosec journalist Brian Krebs.
- Ransomware payments are reportedly dwindling, prompting creative (and desperate) extortion strategies.
- Ox Thief’s alleged data breach claims overlap with those of Medusa ransomware, muddying the waters.
- Fortra’s Nick Oram believes Ox Thief’s approach marks a significant evolution in ransomware tactics.
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