Paying ransom to avoid GDPR fine an unwise gambit

Companies that think paying ransomware demands would be a better move than informing regulators of a data breach are playing with fire, according to experts.

Recent reports have indicated a cybercrime group called “Ransomed” is trying to persuade the companies it hacks that paying its cut-price ransom demands quickly—and quietly—outweighs any fine a data protection authority (DPA) might levy for breaching privacy rules such as the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

However, data privacy experts see the issue differently.