The Rise of New Cyber Extortion Techniques

As the cybercrime economy matures, tactics become more sophisticated. Below are the most notable emerging techniques in The Rise of New Cyber extortion:

1. Data Exfiltration Before Encryption

Attackers quietly infiltrate systems, steal sensitive data, and then encrypt files. Even with backups, victims face data leaks if they don’t pay.

2. Extortion-as-a-Service (EaaS)

Cybercriminals now offer extortion toolkits for rent. This trend has fueled The Rise of New Cyber criminals who may not be tech experts but use these tools effectively.

3. Voice Phishing (Vishing) and Deepfake Threats

Cybercriminals use voice simulation or deepfake videos to blackmail individuals or deceive employees.

4. Targeting Backup Systems

Hackers are disabling or destroying backup solutions before executing ransomware, ensuring victims have no fallback.

5. Attacking Critical Infrastructure

Hospitals, financial institutions, and energy companies are now primary targets due to their need for operational continuity.

Why You Might Be a Target

The Rise of New Cyber extortion isn’t limited to billion-dollar firms. In fact, small and medium businesses (SMBs) are often seen as soft targets. Here’s why:

Weaker security protocols

Lack of dedicated cybersecurity teams

Use of outdated software

High dependency on digital operations

Valuable customer data

Even if you think you’re too small or obscure to be targeted, cyber extortion groups now automate scanning for vulnerabilities, making everyone fair game.

Sectors Most Affected by New Cyber Extortion

1. Healthcare

Medical data is extremely valuable. Cyber extortion in this sector can literally be life-threatening.

2. Education

Universities often hold research data and personal information, and they frequently lack strong cybersecurity controls.

3. Financial Services

Banks and fintech firms are obvious targets due to the high monetary gain and valuable client data.

4. Government

Sensitive political or infrastructure-related information makes these institutions prime targets.

5. Retail and E-commerce

Customer PII and credit card information make retail businesses highly desirable victims.

How Cyber Extortion Happens

Here’s a typical flow of a cyber extortion attack:

Reconnaissance – Attackers scan for weaknesses.

Initial Access – Often via phishing emails or stolen credentials.

Privilege Escalation – Gaining admin-level access.

Lateral Movement – Spreading through the network.

Data Exfiltration – Copying and preparing to leak sensitive files.

Payload Execution – Encrypting files or launching attacks.

Extortion Demand – Victim receives a demand note with instructions.

Real-World Cases in The Rise of New Cyber Extortion

Case 1: Colonial Pipeline (USA)

One of the biggest examples where ransomware affected critical infrastructure, leading to fuel shortages and government involvement.

Case 2: Vastaamo Psychotherapy Center (Finland)

Not only was patient data stolen and held for ransom, but individual patients were also blackmailed separately.

Case 3: MGM Resorts (USA)

Massive data breach followed by extortion demands, affecting millions of customers.

Warning Signs You Might Be Under Attack

Unusual login patterns

Suspicious outbound traffic

Disabled antivirus or logging systems

Strange file extensions or inaccessible files

Ransom messages or system lockouts

Your response in the first hour determines your chances of recovery.

Isolate the System

Immediately disconnect affected systems from the network.

Initiate Incident Response

Follow your cybersecurity incident response playbook.

Alert IT and Security Teams

Loop in key personnel to begin triage.

Preserve Evidence

Don’t format systems. Preserve logs and artifacts.

Assess Impact

Determine what data has been affected or exfiltrated.

Notify Authorities

Report to local cybercrime cells or CERT.

Communicate Internally

Inform stakeholders without spreading panic.

Consult Experts

Bring in cybersecurity consultants for mitigation.

Decide on Ransom

Analyze risks, and follow legal guidance before considering payment.

Begin Restoration

If backups are intact, begin restoring data in a controlled environment.

Long-Term Cyber Extortion Prevention

1. Implement a Strong Cybersecurity Framework

2. Conduct Regular Penetration Testing

Simulate attacks to discover vulnerabilities before criminals do.

3. Maintain Encrypted Backups

Always keep multiple encrypted offline and cloud backups.

4. Train Employees

Regular awareness training can prevent phishing, the #1 attack vector.

5. Enable MFA (Multi-Factor Authentication)

Add layers to prevent unauthorized access.

6. Monitor 24/7

Use SIEM tools or a Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP).

7. Prepare an Incident Response Plan

Update it annually and conduct table-top exercises.

The Rise of New Cyber Laws and Regulations

Governments across the globe are catching up with The Rise of New Cyber threats.

CCPA in California empowers consumers with control over personal data.

NIS2 Directive across the EU mandates better security for critical infrastructure.

Staying compliant is now a legal necessity, not a luxury.

Tools and Services That Help You Stay Safe

EDR/XDR solutions – CrowdStrike, SentinelOne

SIEM platforms – Splunk, IBM QRadar

Ransomware Protection – Sophos Intercept X

MSSP Services – Outsourced 24/7 monitoring and incident response

Cyber Insurance – Cover financial losses from cyber extortion

Future of Cyber Extortion

The future is more automation, AI-based attacks, and geopolitics-driven cyber threats. New cyber ways will rise, but also will the protection. Spending now means resilience later.

Evolution of Double and Triple Extortion

Traditionally, ransomware attackers would encrypt data and demand a ransom for the decryption key. But in the rise of new cyber extortion, attackers now engage in double extortion—where they both encrypt and exfiltrate data, threatening to release it publicly if payment isn’t made. More recently, triple extortion has surfaced, adding pressure through harassment of clients, employees, or even customers.

This tiered approach to cyber extortion significantly ramps up the pain and sense of urgency for organizations, heightening incentive to pay ransom, particularly when reputation and legal exposures are involved.

Cybercriminal Collaboration Networks

With the emergence of new types of cyber threats, cybercriminal group collaboration has become increasingly strategic. The actors now cooperate, share tools, sell access to hacked networks, and stage coordinated attacks. With this “ransomware-as-a-service” (RaaS) concept, even low-skilled actors are able to launch complex attacks, opening up cyber extortion to everyone.

These partnerships also result in faster attack deployment, quicker data exfiltration, and improved detection avoidance—challenging cybersecurity teams to react quickly.

Targeting of SMEs and NGOs

It is a misassumption that large companies are being targeted alone. It is now becoming common in new cyber extortion for attackers to target small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs), non-profits, and municipal governments because they have less robust defenses. These organizations are more likely to pay immediately to get back to business when important services or donor information are compromised.

The cybercriminals see these smaller organizations as low-hanging fruit, and most of these attacks are not reported—distorting the public’s understanding of just how prevalent these attacks actually are.

Deepfake-Based Extortion

A chilling addition to the emergence of new cyber techniques is the deployment of deepfakes—AI-produced videos or audio recordings that appear to be a victim’s likeness or voice. Used to create doctored compromising situations or impersonate executives in business scams (so-called CEO fraud), they can extort ransom payments from victims even when no data were taken. The potential for releasing a convincing deepfake video can intimidate victims into paying ransom even if no data were, in fact, taken.

This artificial intelligence manipulation of reality introduces a terrifying psychological component to extortion.

Taking Advantage of IoT and Smart Devices

In today’s environments where smart cameras, networked HVAC units, and even smart locks are standard, IoT vulnerabilities are becoming attack surfaces. With new cyber extortion on the rise, attackers now threaten to shut down or take control of networked devices with potential for physical destruction or disruption.

Envision a hospital’s intelligent system shut down, elevators disabled, or security systems deactivated—such an interruption has the potential to blow up from data extortion to operational shutdown.

Insider-Facilitated Extortion

Most successful extortions are carried out through insiders, either unwittingly or with intent. Disgruntled or money-motivated employees or those in it for the money may share credentials or spill information. During the emergence of new cyber threats, attackers actively search for insiders vulnerable to attack on dark web or social media platforms to bribe or manipulate.

Conclusion

The advent of new cyber extortion isn’t science fiction—it’s real life today. You’re a solo entrepreneur or an international business, the threat is real. Developing cyber resilience can no longer be an option. From learning about today’s threats to planning an effective counter and budgeting for long-term defense, your survival is at stake.

Ask yourself once more: Are you next? Or are you ready?

Disclaimer

Always seek certified experts and lawyers before making decisions on security and compliance.