What is ransomware?
Online safety should be at the top of everybody’s agenda these days, because without it you stand to lose a hell of a lot, believe us. In the super connected online 21st century that we live in there are various ways in which nasty criminals can target innocent individuals, and aside from offering the crème-de-la-crème of online competitions, at Winzum we are also determined to stop them in any way we can.
One of the best ways to do this is simply spreading knowledge about the importance of cyber security and how to ensure you are taking as much care as possible over your online safety. There is more on this broad topic to read out about here [the importance of cyber security].
Now, something that you may hear about from time to time is a dangerous entity called ransomware, especially if you happen to work somewhere with lots of valuable information up for grabs, like a bank. To the average individual ransomware doesn’t mean much though, so let’s run through exactly what ransomware is.
The basics of ransomware
The crux of what ransomware is revolves around the wider world of malware, as ransomware is included in this broad cluster of different forms of malicious software. Out of all the different types of malware that criminals use in the 21st century, ransomware can without a doubt cause the most havoc, especially to larger and wealthier companies.
What ransomware does is encrypt a victim’s files so that they cannot access anything on their computer anymore. The perpetrator of the ransomware attack will then hold their system up for ransom, demanding a set amount of money in exchange for unlocking the encrypted software and files. In most cases ransomware infects a computer or system through phishing, so you should always be wary of this.
Famous examples of ransomware attacks
The most famous examples of ransomware attacks tragically are usually centred on places like hospitals, simply because the attackers know that the ransom will usually be paid quite quickly seeing as there are lives on the line. As you can see, these cyber criminals really know no morality at all!
The financial sector is also a huge target for ransomware attacks, mainly because there is obviously a lot of money there to be taken. In fact, experts estimate that almost 90% of financial institutions were targeted by ransomware in some way last year.
How to safeguard yourself from a ransomware attack
As with most pieces of malware, your first defence against ransomware is simply knowing what it is, and always being aware of the potential for it to be used against you. For example, pay special attention to your emails, because most ransomware is delivered by way of a phishing attack, something you can read more about here [what is phishing].
Another great way to safeguard yourself from a ransomware attack is to invest in powerful anti-virus software, as this will provide an extra layer of defence against things like trojan software and phishing.