A cyber-kidnapper has cost an online business around £50,000 after hacking into its website and holding the owners to ransom.
An eastern European hacker got into to Wythenshawe-based UK Car Discount’s internet page and threatened to wreak havoc unless boss Brian Bennett handed over £500.
The cyber-crook posted an Albanian flag and a skull and crossbones on the homepage and warned Mr Bennett he would take the site down and ‘misuse’ company data unless he paid up – in a crime that has been described as modern-day racketeering.
Mr Bennett refused to pay up and stalled the hacker long enough to have better security installed on the website. But the move meant the site was down for three days and is no longer among the top hits on car sales searches on Google.
The lost business from that, coupled with paying out for improved website security, has cost UK Car Discount at least £50,000, Mr Bennett said. He added: “It may seem like it would be cheaper to pay £500, but that £500 becomes £1,000 and then £2,000 and so on. Paying ransoms is a big no because they go on hacker forums and share what businesses are prepared to pay up. This is a modern day version of demanding money by way of intimidation – £500 or we will put you out of business.”
Mr Bennett said he had no idea why family-run UK Car Discount, which has been trading for 11 years and is based in Sharston, had been targeted.
The company director added he wanted to raise awareness of this type of cyber-racketeering because of the impact it had on his business.
Source: Manchester Evening News
