{
  "id": 15885385,
  "title": "Ransomware: \"The worst mistake is a CEO who asks: How do I pay?\"",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/21/ransomware-der-schlimmste-fehler-ist-ein-ceo-der-fragt-wie-zahle-ich",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-10-21T12:21:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Handelsblatt",
    "slug": "handelsblatt",
    "url": "https://www.handelsblatt.com/technik/it-internet/cyber-attacken-die-firmenfuehrung-muss-unter-extremem-stress-funktionieren/100229829.html"
  },
  "original_language": "de",
  "account": "Ransomware attacks have increased by 10% in 2025, with 1041 cases reported to the German Federal Ministry of the Interior. These attacks involve hackers encrypting entire IT systems and demanding ransom, often in Bitcoin, and threatening to release stolen data. Two crisis negotiators, Michael Sjøberg and Peter Skovbo, discuss how companies can defend against and regain control after such attacks. Sjøberg, formerly with the Danish military, and Skovbo, who leads Delta Crisis in Switzerland, share their expertise on common mistakes made in the initial hours of a cyberattack.",
  "summary": "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.",
  "key_points": [
    "Ransom demands typically in Bitcoin, with threat of publishing stolen data",
    "Krisis negotiators discuss costly mistakes during initial hours of cyberattacks"
  ],
  "editors_take": "The rising frequency of extortion attacks forces German small and medium enterprises to view cyber defense as a critical business risk rather than a mere technical IT issue.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}