[subru]

Paying out anonymous folks that demand ransom of copyable data is futile. There won't be incentive to not leverage the data even if the ransom were to be paid.

The reality is that BTC helps to facilitate various criminal behavior, some of which would not exist otherwise.

If 4100 were to break today, there would be greatly increased probability of accelerated downside. This is deserved since BTC is leveraged by criminals such as in this case. Don't be surprised if this ends up becoming the case as a form of public penalization of such criminal behavior.

[jjeaff]

Imo, assuming the hackers are acting logically, the payment of the random will be followed up by another request for more money or the sale of said data on the black market.

Since they are anonymous, there is no logical reason to keep their word. It's not like they have a reputation to keep up.

[rrobukef]

It's an asymmetrical game of tit-for-tat. If the hackers don't keep their word often enough the companies won't play the game again. Pay regardless of the hackers keeping their word and you make yourself vulnerable.