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When most companies hear the words “ransom threat,” panic sets in. But sometimes, the story takes a surprising twist. Checkout.com’s CTO, Mariano Albera, recently showed the business world a bold way to respond to cybercrime with transparency, accountability, and even opportunity by flipping the script on a CTO ransom threat.
The Unexpected Response to a Ransomware Threat
In early November 2025, Checkout.com was targeted by ShinyHunters, a notorious cybercrime group. The attackers gained access to a legacy third-party cloud storage system that had been left online but was no longer actively used. The files included internal operation documents and merchant onboarding materials from 2020 and earlier.
Most companies would pay up quietly or let their lawyers handle it. Not Mariano Albera. Albera immediately took accountability and was up front about the impact, estimating that only about a quarter of the current customers would be affected.
That honesty immediately set a tone of accountability, but Albera took his response to the CTO ransom threat one step further. Checkout.com took a stand, pledging the money they would have spent on lawyers and ransom payments into independent cybercrime research funding.
This response protected the company’s financial integrity and sent a clear message that extortion would not be rewarded.
Albera’s transparent response highlights a key principle of responding to ransom demands: CTO accountability. Business owners often overlook the power of honesty during a cyber incident. By acknowledging the breach and clearly communicating its scope, a company preserves trust while setting a strong example for how leaders should act under pressure.
Why Defiance Is the New Ransomware Playbook
Instead of simply recovering from the attack, Checkout.com is using the incident to fund research into better cybersecurity practices. They’re channeling resources toward understanding attack patterns, improving cloud storage security, and helping the broader fintech community prevent similar breaches. This initiative shows that an adverse event doesn’t have to end in loss.
No one wants to be the victim of an attack, but when (not if) something leaks, how you react decides whether your brand gets stronger or shattered. Why not use the experience to generate cybercrime research funding that benefits the entire industry?
There are plenty of other lessons to take from this ethical extortion response.
- Kill ghost accounts. Audit every old S3 bucket, SharePoint folder, and decommissioned tool. If it’s not actively used and monitored, get rid of it.
- Get ahead of the story. Transparency isn’t weakness, and customers prefer clear communication to radio silence.
- Refuse to fund criminals. Redirect that budget into bug bounties, university research, or open-source security tools.
The goal is to build security transparency and trust, and companies facing ransomware threats can actually strengthen their reputation by practicing openness and proactive security measures. Checkout.com’s approach demonstrates that leaders who prioritize ethical extortion responses keep the confidence of their partners and customers.
ShinyHunters wanted a quick payday from a CTO ransom threat. Instead, they handed Checkout.com a masterclass in ransomware defiance. How you respond to cybercrime can turn a looming disaster into a learning opportunity. Accountability, ethical responses, and creative thinking aren’t just good leadership. They’re a smart business strategy.
