The Danger of Ransomware Threats: A Comprehensive Analysis

Abstract

Ransomware is a type of threat to computer security which involves a program that, when executed, holds a computer system or the user’s data ransom by making them inactive, encrypted, and hidden from the user. After the user’s data is completely encrypted, the attacker will demand a ransom from the victim in exchange for the decryption key. The victim has to obtain and send the payment to the attacker within the given period, or the key will be lost forever. There have been numerous ransomware attacks targeting ordinary users, companies, public sectors, and even high profile medical facilities, to name a few instances [1].What makes ransomware a dangerous threat is the different types that can be built: including file-encrypting, data-hiding, and lockscreen ransomware. Each of these types is designed to target different aspects of a computer system, and they are typically delivered through various methods as well. This makes it difficult for an average user to understand how ransomware works and how to protect against it. Additionally, since the dawn of Bitcoin, these attacks have spiked. Prior to this modern advancement, attackers needed to ask for bank information, which left a traceable paper trail; therefore, criminals were more afraid of being caught.There is always something to take away from a ransomware incident whenever it happens. It is important to think ahead and do the R&D to analyze and understand the threat, know how it infects the system, what kind of ransomware was used, where are the encrypted keys stored, can the attack be stopped at any point, etc., while also being careful about how high-risk fields operate. No organization would ever want to lend itself liable to a lawsuit because of negligence due to insufficient security measures and potential harm to other third parties connected to that particular environment.

Keywords

Cybersecurity, Ransomware, Malware.