Risky Business Risky Business #810 -- Data extortion attacks have a silver lining
13 snips
Oct 15, 2025 Mike Wiacek, Founder of Stairwell, shares insights on enhancing cybersecurity with their file-analysis platform, providing VirusTotal-like visibility for private files. The discussion highlights the surge in data extortion compared to ransomware, with recent high-profile breaches like Qantas and Discord. Wiacek explains how Stairwell integrates AI to improve threat-hunting efficiency and reduce false negatives. The conversation touches on the implications of government actions against leaked data and how organizations can proactively utilize Stairwell for better security outcomes.
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Data Extortion Overtakes Ransomware
- Data extortion is surging and often replaces disruptive ransomware with mass data leaks.
- Patrick Gray argues this shift may be a net positive because it is less operationally destructive than ransomware.
FBI Intervenes On Leak Site
- Adam explains the FBI seized a Breached Forums leak site tied to Scattered Spider.
- The group later restored their Onion site after the FBI briefly displayed a seizure banner.
Oracle E-Biz Is A High-Value Mess
- Clop targeted Oracle E-Business Suite using a multi-bug chain to gain code execution.
- Adam calls eBiz a messy target with many internet-facing endpoints and rich attack surface.