Canvas Just Sent a Dangerous Message to Hackers: Crime Pays If You Do It Right

3 hours ago

Canvas, a large learning platform, settled with hackers after a data breach affecting over 9,000 institutions, potentially paying a ransom to recover student data like usernames, emails, and messages.
Ransomware attacks increased by 45% in 2025, with experts predicting over 12,000 incidents in 2026, as hackers encrypt files and demand payment, often threatening to leak data.
Small businesses (under 200 employees and $25M revenue) are most targeted, with attackers using phishing, fake ads, or exploit kits from the dark web to gain access.
Paying ransoms is discouraged by experts and the FBI, as it doesn't guarantee data recovery, encourages further attacks, and may lead to repeated breaches or backdoors.
Despite risks, 74% of companies paid some ransom in 2023, often viewing it as a cost-effective solution compared to reputational damage, penalties, or downtime.
Prevention is emphasized: develop response plans, use multi-factor authentication, password managers, and regular software updates to strengthen security before attacks occur.

Hasty Briefsbeta