Psychological tactics make victims comply faster. Ransomware often uses countdown timers, threatening deletion, or public exposure. Fear and urgency pressure individuals and organizations into paying. Social engineering complements technical exploits. This combination is often more effective than the malware itself.
It matters because cybersecurity isn’t just technical—it’s also about human behavior. Training can reduce susceptibility.
It also shows why awareness campaigns are a key part of defense.
Ransomware leverages fear to coerce victims into payment.
[SANS Institute, sans.org]