The example below also shows that hackers are beginning to do more research in order to make a larger profit from their hacking endeavors.
See this:
In its Nov. 1 notification Ransomware Actors Use Significant Financial Events and Stock Valuation to Facilitate Targeting and Extortion of Victims, the FBI warns: “Ransomware actors are very likely using significant financial events, such as mergers and acquisitions, to target and leverage victim companies for ransomware infections. Prior to an attack, ransomware actors research publicly available information, such as a victim's stock valuation, as well as material nonpublic information. If victims do not pay a ransom quickly, ransomware actors will threaten to disclose this information publicly, causing potential investor backlash.” Gurucul CEO Saryu Nayyar provides comments.
From, Saryu Nayyar, CEO, Gurucul:
“It’s no surprise that ransomware attackers follow the stock market in choosing their victims. The FBI reports that ransomware is often based on financial information published by the enterprise, coupled with insider information found once the attack has occurred. Often it is less about locking up the network than holding enterprises hostage to non-public information.
“Every enterprise needs to keep financial information private. The best way to do so is to keep attackers out of your network. Failing that, you need to find and eject them before they get harmful data.”