Odido CEO Søren Abildgaard expressed strong satisfaction over the telecom company’s decision not to pay a ransom following a major cyberattack. Speaking at an NLconnect industry conference on Wednesday, Abildgaard reflected on the breach that compromised personal data from 6.2 million customers in early February. Criminal hacking group ShinyHunters leaked the stolen customer data on the dark web after Odido refused to yield to extortion demands.
Ransomware payments create false sense of security
Abildgaard described the decision to reject the ransom demand as ethically challenging but ultimately correct. He argued that paying criminals creates a false sense of security, questioning whether hackers would ever truly delete stolen databases. The CEO emphasized that succumbing to extortion would facilitate organized crime merely to protect the company’s short-term media reputation. Police guidelines similarly advise businesses against paying ransoms to cybercriminals.
Internal security upgrades continue amidst operational lessons
The chief executive characterized cybersecurity as an ongoing cat-and-mouse game, admitting that telecom operators do not always hold the upper hand. In earlier customer addresses, Abildgaard pledged continuous upgrades to Odido’s defensive infrastructure. However, the company faced harsh public criticism over delayed communication following the initial breach. Abildgaard admitted that management failed to communicate effectively while attempting to verify facts before releasing public updates.
Police investigation yields promising leads
The statement follows recent developments in the criminal investigation into the cyberattack. On Monday, Dutch television program Opsporing Verzocht broadcast an audio recording featuring one of the lead suspects in the hack. Police confirmed on Tuesday that the broadcast generated twenty tips containing highly relevant information for investigators.
Odido CEO Søren Abildgaard has defended the company’s decision to refuse ransom demands after hackers stole data belonging to 6.2 million customers. Speaking at an industry conference, Abildgaard argued that paying extortionists offers no security guarantees and fuels organized crime. While acknowledging past communication shortcomings during the crisis, he noted that police have received promising leads following audio broadcasts of a primary suspect.
@ anp | NEWS BRAINPORT
