Ransomware: „Der schlimmste Fehler ist ein CEO, der fragt: Wie zahle ich?“
Cyber-Attacken legen ganze Produktionen lahm und treffen zunehmend auch den Mittelstand. Zwei Experten erklären, wie Firmen mit Erpressern verhandeln sollten – und sich besser schützen können.
Zug, ransomware – a type of extortion software – has long been recognized as one of the biggest business risks, not just for corporations, but particularly for Germany's small and medium-sized enterprises. In 2025, the German Interior Ministry reported 1,041 ransomware attacks, a ten percent increase compared to the previous year.
In a ransomware attack, criminals encrypt entire IT systems and demand a ransom - usually in the form of Bitcoin, often accompanied by the threat of publishing stolen data previously stolen. But how can companies defend themselves? How can they regain control in such a situation? And which mistakes prove particularly costly in the first few hours?
Crisis negotiators Michael Sjøberg, formerly specialized in hostage negotiations with the Danish military, and Peter Skovbo, who leads the Swiss consulting firm Delta Crisis founded by Sjøberg, discuss these questions in an interview. Mr. Sjøberg, if a company calls during a cyberattack, what has typically already gone wrong?
Written by urgent.news from Handelsblatt's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
