The Rise of Ransomware Attacks: A Growing Risk To Your Business
Ransomware is a form of malicious software (malware) that steals sensitive information and locks up devices until a fee is paid, usually by the victim. Hackers typically use “ransomware” as a way to extort payment from people and companies. Ransomware typically arrives as an e-mail attachment, often disguised as a legitimate file that infects an entire computer network. From there, it can do anything from changing an admin password to locking the computer’s files, preventing access to email, and disabling business applications. That can happen right after a ransomware attack, or any time a user inadvertently downloads an attachment that contains a malware file. It’s important to look for the use of a command in the ransom note as well as the encryption method.