For years, ransomware was synonymous with encrypted files and ransom demands for decryption keys. However, the latest cybercrime trends reveal a disturbing shift: encryptionless ransomware, where attackers bypass encryption entirely and move straight to data extortion. The 2025 ReliaQuest Threat Report confirms this evolution, noting that 80% of ransomware breaches now involve data exfiltration, with only 20% relying on encryption. This shift has given rise to double and triple extortion tactics, making traditional defenses like backups and endpoint security insufficient to mitigate the damage.
Double and Triple Extortion: More Than Just a Data Breach
Cybercriminals no longer settle for simply locking data away. Instead, they maximize their leverage through double and even triple extortion:
- Double Extortion: Attackers steal sensitive data before deploying ransomware. Even if a company restores its systems from backups, criminals threaten to release stolen files unless a ransom is paid.
- Triple Extortion: Attackers extend their pressure tactics by blackmailing third parties – such as customers, vendors, or even regulatory bodies – creating reputational and legal nightmares.
The 2025 threat report highlights that 30% of breaches originate from third-party compromises, showing how cybercriminals exploit supply chain vulnerabilities. Attackers now target clients, business partners, and even employees to coerce payments, leveraging stolen legal documents, financial records, or private communications.
Why Encryption Is No Longer Necessary for Cybercriminals
Traditional ransomware relied on encryption because it forced companies into a pay-or-lose-your-data scenario. But now, cybercriminals recognize that data exposure is a more powerful weapon. Organizations that refuse to pay risk:
- Regulatory fines under GDPR, HIPAA, or CCPA
- Lawsuits from affected customers or partners
- Permanent reputational damage from leaked sensitive information
With advanced AI-driven tactics, attackers operate faster than ever, often evading traditional security controls like multi-factor authentication (MFA), endpoint detection and response (EDR), and firewalls.
Traditional Security Solutions Are Failing at Encryptionless Ransomware
Many organizations still rely on backups and EDR solutions to protect against ransomware. However, these methods are ineffective against encryptionless ransomware and extortion-based attacks:
- Backups restore systems but cannot undo data theft.
- EDR detects malware but cannot stop stolen files from being used against a company.
A more proactive approach is required: one that prevents stolen data from being weaponized, even after it leaves the network.
ITsMine: Stopping Extortion Before It Starts
While traditional security solutions focus on detection and containment, ITsMine offers a proactive approach to stopping extortion attacks. The ITsMine Red Button ensures that even if files are stolen, attackers cannot use them for blackmail.
How ITsMine Neutralizes Extortion Attempts:
ITsMine’s Red Button-operated Remote File-Kill instantly destroys compromised files, even if they have been moved outside the network (the company’s own version remains untouched).
By eliminating attackers’ leverage, ITsMine shifts the balance of power back to businesses, preventing cybercriminals from profiting off stolen data.
ITsMine’s forensic-level tracking provides regulatory proof that data was never accessed or misused, reducing compliance burdens in the event of a breach.
Final Thoughts
As cybercriminals shift towards data-centric extortion, businesses must move beyond reactive security measures. With encryptionless ransomware on the rise, backups and EDR are no longer enough; organizations need full control over their data, even beyond their networks. ITsMine’s Red Button technology ensures that even if an attack succeeds, the data itself becomes useless to criminals.
In an era where data exfiltration is the new encryption, ITsMine provides the ultimate countermeasure: turning stolen files into worthless junk before they can be used for blackmail.
Don’t just detect threats. Neutralize them.