DeepSec 2025 Talk: Ransomware vs. Info Stealers: A Comparative Analysis – Steph Shample
This talk provides a clear and practical comparison between two dominant forms of malware: ransomware and information stealers. While both are used by threat actors to profit from compromised systems, their methods, visibility, and impact differ dramatically. We’ll start by defining each threat type and examining their primary objectives — ransomware aims for immediate financial gain through extortion, while info stealers quietly extract credentials, financial data, and other sensitive information for resale or future attacks. Worth noting is that Info stealers can and are often used as a precursor for a ransomware attack, connecting these two forms of malware in malicious operations. We’ll start by defining each threat type and examining their primary objectives — ransomware aims for immediate financial gain through extortion, while info stealers quietly extract credentials, financial data, and other sensitive