Ransomware - Its Threat & Recovery

Ransomware is a malicious malware which blocks access to user data by encrypting the files until a ransom amount is paid to the attacker.

Ransomware attack is one of the most common yet dangerous cyber crime reported till date and at least 30% of the world has been affected by it.

Ransomware is reported to be active from 1989 when the AIDS virus was used to extort funds from recipients of the ransomware.  Payments for that attack were made by mail to Panama, at which point a decryption key was also mailed back to the user.

Ransomware attacks became popular with the growth of cyptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin.

Who is the target?

Any device connected to the internet is at risk of becoming the next ransomware victim. According to studies and research Ransomware scans a local device and any network-connected storage. If the local network is a business, the ransomware could encrypt important documents and system files that could halt business services.

What should we do?

If a device is connected to the internet it should be updated with the latest software security patches, have anti-malware installed to detect and stops ransomware. Outdated operating systems such as Windows XP and Windows 7 that are no longer maintained are at a much higher risk.

How is ransomware spreading?

Ransomware is often spread through phishing emails that contain malicious attachments or through drive-by downloading. Drive-by downloading occurs when a user unknowingly visits an infected website and then malware is downloaded and installed without the user's knowledge.

Why you shouldn’t pay ransomware?

The biggest risk of paying is never receiving cipher keys to decrypt data. 

How to Remove Ransomware

You can find tips on No More Ransom portal and even some decryptors for selected ransomware attacks.

If the user has followed the best practices and kept system backups, they can restore their systems and resume normal operations.

Update -

 “Clop” is one of the latest and most dangerous ransomware threats.