Ransomware (extortion): Construction company, Switzerland 2016
Unknown persons encrypted and stole data of the Ticino construction company and demanded a ransom.
- Incident · 2016 · Barbengo TI, Switzerland
- Evidence: one media report
- Ransomware (extortion)
As of
What happened
The company paid 2 Bitcoin (around 2000 francs) and received the codes for the main server; two further archives remained locked. The owner estimated the loss at around 20'000 francs and filed a criminal complaint.
- Affected
- New Job Costruzioni SA
- Industry
- Construction company
- Loss
- CHF 20'000
- Figure given by the source
- around 20'000 francs (owner’s estimate); ransom 2 Bitcoin, around 2'000 francs
- Business interruption
- unknown
- Ransom demanded / paid
- yes / yes
- Data affected
- Company data encrypted and stolen, only partly recovered
- Bankruptcy
- no
- Entry point
- not stated in the sources
What would cyber insurance have paid?
That depends on the terms. Whether those affected were insured: unknown.
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Costs of getting data, software and systems running again
Mostly covered 6 of 9 business products cover it fully, as an add-on or with limits.
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Help and negotiation; only some insurers pay the ransom, see note
Mostly add-on 6 of 9 business products cover it fully, as an add-on or with limits.
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Loss of income after an attack
Business interruption, only after the waiting period
Mostly covered 7 of 9 business products cover it fully, as an add-on or with limits.
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Immediate help in an emergency
Hotline, IT forensics, crisis PR and legal advice
Mostly covered 7 of 9 business products cover it fully, as an add-on or with limits.
Overview based on public policy terms, as of 06.11.2026. Only your policy and its general terms and conditions (GTC) are binding. No confirmation of cover.
What we can learn
Paying a ransom is no guarantee of full recovery; only a separate backup is reliable.
Sources
- Dati rubati... restituiti (opens in a new window) RSI Radiotelevisione svizzera · 31.12.2016