"'Swatting' Becomes Latest Extortion Tactic in Ransomware Attacks"

Threat actors are targeting medical institutions through their patients, using a tactic called "swatting" in order to push hospitals to pay ransom demands. Swatting is a form of prank-calling in which police are repeatedly called about a specific individual (e.g., a patient) regarding bomb threats or other serious allegations, making authorities show up at the homes of these unknowing victims heavily armed. Threat actors believe putting such pressure on US hospitals will force a ransom payment if it means patients will stop being targeted, as was the case in November 2023 when medical records were stolen from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center. The actors threatened to raise the stakes by using the swatting technique on the center's patients. This article continues to discuss the swatting tactic being used in ransomware attacks.

Dark Reading reports "'Swatting' Becomes Latest Extortion Tactic in Ransomware Attacks"

Submitted by grigby1