This is a significant increase from 2022, when revenue from buybacks was approximately $567 million.
This growth is driven by an influx of new hackers and major attacks that bring in millions of payments, according to blockchain tracking company Chainalytic.
One of the most notable campaigns was an attack by the CL0P group, which exploited a previously unknown vulnerability in the MOVEit file transfer service widely used by businesses and government agencies.
This campaign enabled CL0P to temporarily become the most prominent player in the ransomware ecosystem and obtain more than $100 million in ransom.
Payment data for 2023 also shows that new participants are attracted to cybercrime due to high profits and low barriers to entry.
For example, an operation known as Phobos sold access to ransomware to other hackers, allowing less experienced cybercriminals to carry out their own attacks.
Source: Ferra
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