It's been said that if you build a better mousetrap, nature will build a better mouse. With advances in cybersecurity and more companies declining to pay ransomware demands, ransomware groups are changing their approach.
As discussed in a post on The Cyber Express website (https://thecyberexpress.com/double-extortion-ransomware-group-threat/), these are the recent trends:
Double extortion: ransomware groups encrypt data and threaten to release sensitive information if their demands are not met. Approximately ten new groups using this approach have surfaced just in the last month.
Some groups demand charitable donations instead of ransom payments. Possibly they think this "Robin Hood" image will yield better results. This raises ethical questions for both donors/victims and their recipients.
Finally, some groups are using new techniques including selective encryption.
Organizations must be proactive in keeping their cybersecurity up to date and monitoring alerts from law enforcement and security services about new threats.