I don’t understand why our Security services (and others) can’t find these criminals?
As I see it the Internet depends on a web of connections across the globe, but fundamentally underneath all the names and trickery at hiding YOU have an IP address. All computers must have a unique IP address. Like your car registration plate. If it is duplicated then the massages fail to get through correctly.
To get their money these people must have a base somewhere to “host” their systems and to get their ransom must be able to be communicated with. The authorities can track where their IP address goes to. They can “translate” it to another address by using proxies but in my book anyone actually involved in this process should be warned to stop allowing it or they will be shut down. This may be a whole country, Tough! Until we get tough with these criminals then it won’t stop. Do we want a few idiots to undermine our whole society?