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, or extortion software, is now considered one of the biggest business risks – not only for corporations, but especially for Germany's small and medium-sized enterprises. In 2025, the German Ministry of the Interior reported 1,041 ransomware attacks, a 10% increase from the previous year. In a ransomware attack, criminals encrypt entire IT systems and demand a ransom payment, often in the form of Bitcoin, and are frequently accompanied by the threat of releasing previously stolen data.
So, how can businesses defend themselves against such threats? How can they regain control in these situations? And which mistakes are particularly costly in the first hours? Crisis negotiators Michael Sjøberg, formerly specializing in hostage situations for the Danish military, and Peter Skovbo, who leads the Swiss consulting firm Delta Crisis established by Sjøberg, discuss these questions in an interview.
Mr. Sjøberg, when a company calls you during a cyber attack – what has typically already gone wrong?
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