Cyber extortion definition

Cyber extortion is blackmailing an individual or organization by threatening to release sensitive data or launch a cyberattack.

Cyber extortion is a broad category of internet and computer-related crime. As the name suggests, the cyberattacks included under this umbrella term involve criminals forcing people and businesses to hand over money or sensitive data, often with threats and coercion.

Cyber extortion attacks involve hackers attempting to convince, trick, or bully a victim into giving up money or confi dential data (or both). Hackers can do so through phishing emails , ransomware attacks, and other extortion  methods. The result of a successful cyber extortion attack could be a data breach , financial loss, identity theft , or even cyber espionage
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