Ransomware Gets Personal: 'We-Know-Where-You-Are Kind of Stuff'
The Register, Wednesday, October 14th, 2026
Ransomware crews increasingly use physical and psychological threats against staff and families, a Semperis survey finds.
Semperis incident responder Tim Beasley describes receiving an unsigned package of Russian souvenirs while investigating Midnight Blizzard, an example of intimidation spilling into real life.
A global Semperis survey found that 37% of ransomware attacks involve psychological or physical threats.
The article links the trend to The Com, a loose network whose young members engage in hacking, swatting, extortion and violence, and notes that Europol flagged 4,340 URLs for removal in a summer crackdown.
Responders say violence as a service is now being used to pressure victims into paying.