World Business Report Criminals offer reporter money to hack BBC
Sep 29, 2025
A BBC correspondent reveals a shocking attempt by cyber criminals to recruit him for hacking. He shares his unsettling encounters with the Medusa gang, who offered him money for access. The discussion expands to the workings of ransomware and why these gangs target major corporations. Meanwhile, Zimbabwe faces fiscal challenges, prompting government mandates to cut spending. In other news, rising gold prices reflect geopolitical tensions, and South Korea reopens its doors to Chinese tourists to boost its economy.
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Reporter Approached With Ransom Offer
- Joe Tidy described being directly approached by hackers who offered him a cut to hand over BBC security codes.
- He played along, was offered half a bitcoin as a deposit, and then refused to comply.
Multi-Factor Authentication Attack
- After stalling, Joe experienced an MFA bomb where he received constant login pop-ups every minute.
- He recognised the attack and did not interact with his device, but found the experience deeply unsettling.
Ransom Payments Fuel Cybercrime
- Cyber gangs operate as a numbers business, listing past victims to attract new targets and sometimes demand tens of millions.
- Paying ransoms fuels the enterprise, which is why law enforcement advises victims not to pay.