Some mainstream antivirus companies and malware researchers have published encryption keys for several strains of ransomware. Experts can determine the type of infection and see if an associated unlocker is available. (Photo: rawf8/Shutterstock)
Barely a week goes by without ransomware making the headlines. With COVID-19 accelerating a hyper-connected world, ransomware attacks will become even more disastrous. For instance, the unfortunate death of a patient at a hospital in Germany was linked to a ransomware attack that disrupted emergency care.
|What is ransomware and how does it work?
Ransomware is a form of computer malware used by cybercriminals to encrypt digital assets. They then threaten the victim to erase it or release it in the public domain unless a ransom has been paid. Phishing is probably the most common method of delivering ransomware although savvy criminals are also known to use a combination of social engineering techniques to fraud victims.
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