ISMG Editors: Should We Trust Ransomware Gangs?

Agentic AI , Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning , Cybercrime ISMG Editors: Should We Trust Ransomware Gangs? Ransomware Payouts, AI-Driven Threats and Reshaping Payment Fraud Anna Delaney (annamadeline) • May 15, 2026     Credit Eligible Get Permission Video Player 00:00 00:00 Clockwise, from top left: Anna Delaney, Mathew Schwartz, Suparna Goswami and Tom Field In this week's panel, four ISMG editors discussed a ransomware case that once again raises questions about paying extortionists, why security leaders fear artificial intelligence is accelerating attacks faster than humans can respond and how the rise of instant payments is reshaping fraud programs at banks. See Also: AI Fuels New Wave of Browser-Based Cyberattacks The panelists - Anna Delaney, executive director, productions; Mathew Schwartz, executive editor of DataBreachToday and Europe; Suparna Goswami, executive editor; and Tom Field, senior vice president, editorial - discussed: The recent Instructure breach affecting the Canvas learning platform - and the broader implications of organizations paying ransom demands based on promises by a cybercriminal gang to delete stolen data; How security leaders are grappling with the rise of AI-enabled cyberthreats, particularly concerns around faster and more sophisticated attacks, shadow AI, non-human identities and the growing urgency to adopt AI-driven defenses; How the rise of instant payments and increasing regulatory scrutiny are reshaping fraud prevention strategies for banks, with a focus on the growing tension between customer convenience, fraud losses and accountability in real-time payment environments. The ISMG Editors' Panel runs weekly. Don't miss our previous installments, including the May 1 edition on North Korea's fake meeting crypto heists and the May 8 edition about the battle over access to frontier AI models.