Decoding Cybercrime: How Ransomware Attacks Work – And Why They Keep Getting Smarter

Recent attacks on major institutions show that cybercriminals aren’t just after money—they’re using ransomware as a weapon of disruption. The Medibank incident, along with similar strikes around the world, proves how quickly a single breach can ripple through systems, affecting customers, operations, and public trust. These attacks aren’t random. They’re carefully planned, often involving stolen data, encryption, and threats to release private information. The goal isn’t just to take a payment—it’s to force organizations into a corner where they have no choice but to pay, even if it means long-term damage to their reputation and services.

Cybercriminals have built systems that make their operations easier and harder to stop at the same time. The rise of ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) means that groups like REvil create and maintain ransomware tools, then sell access to them to affiliates who carry out the actual attacks. These affiliates get a cut of every ransom paid, turning the whole process into a profit-driven network. This model spreads the blame and makes it tougher to trace who’s really behind each attack. And when attackers use double extortion—stealing data and threatening to leak it publicly—the pressure on victims grows. In the Medibank case, after talks broke down, the stolen data was posted online, showing how far these threats can go. The stakes aren’t just financial. They’re about trust, privacy, and the ability of organizations to keep running.

Key Tactics Behind Modern Ransomware Attacks

• Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS): Criminals build and sell ransomware tools to affiliates who carry out attacks. This lets them operate without doing every step themselves, spreading the risk and making investigations harder.
• Double Extortion: Attackers steal data and threaten to release it publicly. This dual threat forces victims to pay, even if they don’t want to, because the fallout could be worse than the ransom itself.
• REvil’s History of High-Impact Attacks: The group’s 2021 strike on Kaseya—a software used by hundreds of businesses—led to a $70 million ransom demand and showed how one breach can impact a wide network of companies.
• Dark Web Operations and Attribution Challenges: Many ransomware groups operate from countries like Russia, where law enforcement access is limited. The dark web is where they communicate, plan, and store data—making it difficult to trace or hold them accountable.

We’re not just dealing with tech failures anymore. We’re facing a coordinated, global threat that demands stronger defenses, better training, and more collaboration between organizations and authorities. Without it, the next attack could hit even harder.