Ransomware: "The worst mistake is a CEO who asks: How do I pay?"
Cyber attacks are crippling entire production lines and increasingly affecting medium-sized businesses too. Two experts explain how companies should negotiate with extortionists - and how they can better protect themselves.
Zug, ransomware – a form of extortion software – is now recognized as one of the biggest business risks, not just for large corporations but also for German small and medium-sized enterprises. According to the German Interior Ministry, there were 1,041 ransomware attacks reported in 2025, a 10% increase from the previous year. In a ransomware attack, criminals encrypt entire IT systems and demand a ransom, often in Bitcoin, and frequently threaten to release stolen data beforehand.
But how can companies defend themselves against such attacks? How can they regain control in such a situation? And which mistakes are particularly costly in the first hours? Krisis negotiators Michael Sjøberg, formerly specialized in hostage situations with the Danish military, and Peter Skovbo, who leads the Swiss consultancy Delta Crisis founded by Sjøberg, discuss these questions in an interview. Mr. Sjøberg, what typically goes wrong when a company calls you during a cyberattack?
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- Ransomware: "The worst mistake is a CEO who asks: How do I pay?" handelsblatt.com
