Rhyne's attack was a ransomware (or ransomware-style) incident

Assessment

BleepingComputer's sentencing coverage calls it a "ransomware-style attack," and other outlets filed it under ransomware. Economically it resembled one — damage was caused to force a bitcoin ransom. But no encrypting malware was deployed. The FBI complaint describes the harm as account deletions and password changes executed through Windows Task Scheduler using the native net user command and the Sysinternals PsPasswd tool, and the DOJ charged Computer Fraud and Abuse Act extortion and intentional-damage offenses, not a ransomware payload. Calling it ransomware obscures that the defenses are identity and privileged-access controls, not anti-malware.