Linus Larsson: Paying Digital Extortionists Is a Problematic Strategy

In this commentary for Dagens Nyheter, journalist Linus Larsson argues that paying ransomware demands is a deeply flawed strategy, despite recent actions by Swedish universities. The article highlights a recent incident where Instructure, a platform provider for approximately 30 Swedish universities, reportedly paid the hacker group Shiny Hunters to prevent the leak of 275 million users' data. Larsson contends that such payments effectively funnel money from educational institutions to organized crime. He outlines two primary reasons why this approach is detrimental. Ethically, it sustains criminal enterprises by proving that cyberextortion is profitable, thereby encouraging future attacks. Practically, there is no guarantee that paying stops the data leak, as hackers may retain copies or forge deletion logs. The author suggests that any restraint shown by hackers after payment is merely a reputational tactic to ensure future victims comply, rather than a genuine commitment to security. Ultimately, Larsson asserts that while immediate crisis management might seem to justify payment, it perpetuates a cycle of digital crime with long-term negative consequences for society and institutional integrity.