Recently, blockchain analysis company TRM Labs revealed the activities of a ransomware organization named Embargo, drawing significant attention from security experts. Since April of this year, the organization has obtained over $34 million in crypto assets ransom through its extortion activities, while also hiding approximately $19 million in "reserve funds" in unassociated wallets. This meticulously designed operational model indicates that the organization is actively seeking ways to evade tracking and waiting for suitable "money laundering opportunities."

What is even more concerning is the target selection strategy of the Embargo organization. They specifically target industries with extremely high downtime costs, such as healthcare and manufacturing, and prefer victims from the United States. This strategy is based on a simple yet effective logic: the less these industries can afford downtime losses, the more likely they are to yield to ransomware demands.

In addition, Embargo has adopted a "Ransomware as a Service" (RaaS) business model, which significantly lowers the technical barriers to launching attacks, allowing more individuals lacking specialized skills to easily participate in ransomware activities. The emergence of this model undoubtedly increases the risk of large-scale malicious attacks.

The anonymous nature of crypto assets provides a certain level of protection for such criminal activities; however, companies like TRM Labs are continuously improving blockchain analysis technology in an attempt to trace these illegal flows of funds.

However, for those critical industries, enhancing cybersecurity defenses remains a top priority. Because once attacked, it is not only the operations of the business that come to a halt, but it could also affect the normal functioning of society as a whole and the public's sense of security. In this battle between cybersecurity and criminals, the stakes are far beyond just money; they concern the stability and trust of the entire society.