Dive Brief:
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The FBI reported the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) has received a rising number of complaints from businesses regarding extortion campaigns through email.
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The agency issued an alert urging businesses to be aware of cybercriminals threatening to launch distributed denial of service attacks if a ransom is not paid.
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Some businesses have reportedly been hit with Distributed Denial of Service attacks lasting one to two hours.
Dive Insight:
The FBI recommends businesses do not open email or attachments from unknown individuals. If they do open an email that contains a threat, they shouldn't communicate with the subject. And if an attack occurs, businesses should utilize DDoS mitigation services.
"Victims that do not pay the ransom receive a subsequent threatening email claiming that the ransom will significantly increase if the victim fails to pay within the time frame given. Some businesses reported implementing DDoS mitigation services as a precaution," the FBI warned.
