Ransomware is a general term used to describe any type of malware which restricts your ability to access:
- Digital files
- Computer systems and applications
- Or devices
Ransomware restricts access to these until a sum of money - referred to as a ransom - has been paid to the attacker, at which point the attacker will claim to restore your access.
Ransomware is typically accompanied by a message from the attacker, meant to communicate their conditions for releasing the content to which they have restricted your access.
The most common sources of ransomware infections are:
Phishing emails which contain malicious executable files (files ending in .exe .bin and .bat are common executable file types) or office document attachments wich contain hidden executable files - known as macros - carrying malicious code.
Unsecured Websites (these are websites with urls beginning in "http://" instead of "https://") which execute malicious code in your internet browser or prompt you to download malicious executable files to your computer.
Ransomware is one of the most widespread and damaging threats that internet users face. The WannaCry ransomware attack of 2017 - alone - resulted in a whopping $4 billion USD in losses according to some estimates.
Crypto-ransomware is a type of ransomware which locks files by systematically encrypting the contents of all accessible files on the infected system or device.
If your personal computer were to be infected with Crypto-ransomware, you could potentially lose access to all files stored on your computer, including, family photos and files containing sensitive, personal information.
If your work computer were to be infected, you could lose access to all of your work-related files, including, documents containing sensitive customer data, work projects and emails, as well as potentially resulting in all of the files on all of the computers on the entire network being encrypted.
Treat each email you receive with a professional level of skepticism; don't take any action based on what the email says until you have taken time to verify the trustworthiness of the source.
Don't open or run files or click on links contained in an email you receive unless you absolutely trust the sender.
Don't open or run files downloaded from an unsecured website or a website that you do not absolutely trust.
Create a backup of your important files on an external drive or device, so that if you ever do become the victim of a ransomware attack, you can restore the lost files without worrying about having to pay a ransom to the attacker.
- It restricts access to files, systems or devices until a ransom has been paid to the attacker.
- It is commonly delivered via phishing emails and unsecured websites.
You can avoid it by:
- Not opening or running executable files you receive from a source you cannot absolutely trust.
- Not enabling editing, content or macros in a document you have received from a source you cannot absolutely trust.
- Creating a backup of important files on an external drive or device.
- Keeping an eye out for suspicious emails.
