What is Ransomware?

How Does Ransomware Work?

Ransomware is a type of malicious software, or malware, that is used by a cybercriminal to take control of your computer or lock up your data. The criminal will either threaten to delete all the data or publish it—whichever is more harmful—unless the victim pays a ransom within a deadline. If the ransom isn’t paid on time, the fee will increase, or the data is published or gone forever. What’s more the data on a computer or network is still there, it’s just encrypted and can only be accessed by the criminal, who will typically promise to provide a key to unlock the information once they receive the ransom.

How to Prevent Ransomware Attacks

To avoid ransomware attacks—or minimize damage if you are the victim of an attack—there are a few steps you can take:

• Back up data—and secure backups.
  If you’re concerned about being locked out of critical or sensitive files, make it a habit to back up your data. Using cloud storage or an external hard drive are both options. Having multiple external copies of your backups is also a smart call since ransomware will seek to neutralize backups on your hard drive. This way, if you do fall victim to ransomware, you’ll still have access to your files. Instead of paying off your attacker, you can wipe your computer’s hard drive and reinstall your information from those backups. This tactic won’t stop you from being victimized but it can prevent some of the damages.
• Keep security software updated.
  Security software can detect many forms of malware but must be kept up to date to be effective.
• Be aware of social engineering.
  A common way that individuals and businesses become victims of ransomware is through a social engineering scam called phishing. For example, an email is circulated throughout a company’s internal email list that is supposedly from the CEO and implores employees to click a link. When the employees click, they give criminals access to their computers and network. Ransomware can be uploaded to the company’s devices and a criminal may demand a huge payoff. Think twice before opening email attachments and carefully consider who they’re from, especially if the tone is especially urgent or if the message seems a little odd.
• Secure your network.
  Public WiFi networks can be convenient if you’re away from home, but they’re typically lacking in security. One way to keep your information safe, whether you’re at home or at a café or hotel, is to use a VPN. These virtual private networks encrypt your data and keep hackers from being able to access it.. These virtual private networks encrypt your data and keep hackers from being able to access it.

What if You’re a Victim of a Ransomware Attack?

If your device and information are being held hostage, you have three options:

• You can pay the ransom, which may encourage the criminals to continue in their activity.
• You can try to remove the malware from your device using a decryption tool.
• You can reset your computer and restore your settings from a backup.

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Once you realize that ransomware has infected your device, disconnect it from the Internet as soon as possible—this type of malware can spread through WiFi to infect your other devices. The sooner you’re able to do this, the less damage you may have to mitigate. Your next step, if you plan to remove the malware, is to identify the type of ransomware you’re dealing with—one way to do so is to visit No More Ransom. This organization can help identify the malware and offer tools to break the encryption that was put in place to hold your files hostage.

Most experts agree that you should never pay the ransom. It may seem like the easiest solution but it’s a bad idea. Once the hackers have your money, they may choose not to release your files and data. And paying a criminal may make you a repeat victim, especially since these people know you can be effectively extorted.

Staying alert, securing your network, and being wary of strange attachments can go a long way to preventing ransomware attacks.