Cybercriminal gang BlackCat has threatened to release stolen plastic surgery photos unless its demands for ransom are met, The Daily Dot reported.
The group posted on the dark web June 21 that it had taken patient data from Beverly Hills (Calif.) Plastic Surgery and would release pictures if it is not paid, according to the June 21 story.
"This is not the first time a ransomware gang has attempted to weaponize patients' photos, and it will not be the last," Emsisoft cybersecurity analyst Brett Callow told the news outlet. "If [the photos] do end up online, they could be accessed and potentially misused by third parties — and that misuse could include attempts to extort money from the patients themselves."
BlackCat, which has ties to Russia, previously posted photos of patients receiving breast cancer treatment at Allentown, Pa.-based Lehigh Valley Health Network after the health system refused its ransom request.