Initial access brokers target mid-sized businesses for ransomware

Initial access brokers (IABs) are the invisible engine of modern cybercrime. They don't execute ransomware attacks, but they do enable them. Research from Check Point External Risk Management (formerly Cyberint) shows that IABs are increasingly targeting smaller businesses, with 60.5 percent of listings targeting SMBs (companies with $5M - $50M revenue), representing a new 'sweet spot' for attackers. The IAB business model is based on breaking into a system and auctioning access to the highest bidder on the dark web. This allows ransomware groups, hacktivists, or state actors to 'log in and launch' their attacks. Selling access is lower-risk, scalable,… [Continue Reading]