RANSOMWARE gangs are increasingly mixing online extortion with threats of physical harm, according to Semperis’s 2026 Ransomware Risk Report. The survey, based on self-reported responses, indicates that about two-fifths of organisations have faced intimidation or threats connected to a ransomware incident, and a majority of those surveyed say attackers carried out some of those threats. However, the data cannot be independently verified, and no confirmed case studies were found in Dark Reading’s review of the material.
The article notes that UK respondents reported that around a third of threats were carried out (approximately 34%), with stalking of victims or their families reported in about 18% of cases. Other reported actions included doxxing, swatting, and public shaming in more than half of the episodes. While Semperis argues violence can occur in cyber extortion contexts, Dark Reading could not identify any documented ransomware-specific violence case.
The piece places this in a broader crime context, pointing to “wrench” attacks in the cryptocurrency space and publicised intrusions by extortion groups such as the so-called Silent Ransom Group entering offices to exfiltrate data, as documented by the FBI and Mandiant. The article emphasises the need for caution until verifiable cases are presented, noting that violence-related trends are rising across online attacks generally, even if direct ransomware violence remains unproven in concrete incidents.