- A) Worm B) Sniffer C) Evil Twin D) Ransomware
Ransomware is the right answer.
Ransomware is a kind of malignant programming (malware) that takes steps to uncover or restrict admittance to information or a PC framework, for the most part by scrambling it, except if the casualty pays the attacker a ransom price. The ransom demand is frequently accompanied by a deadline. If the victim doesn’t pay the ransom in time, the data will be lost forever or the ransom will go up.
CryptoLocker is a type of ‘ransomware’ that encrypts the contents of affected machines to prevent access. Once infected, victims are asked to pay a “ransom” to have their files decrypted and recovered. Phishing emails with harmful attachments are the most common method of infection.
What is Cryptolocker?
The Cryptolocker is a malware threat that has attracted a lot of attention in recent years. It’s a Trojan horse that infects your computer and then goes through your folders looking for files to encrypt. This covers everything on your hard disks as well as any attached media, such as USB memory sticks or network drives.
Any device that is linked to the internet is susceptible to ransomware. Ransomware analyzes a local device as well as any network-connected storage, making a vulnerable device a possible victim of the local network. If the local network is a business, the ransomware may encrypt vital documents and system data, causing services and productivity to be disrupted.
What Causes Ransomware to Spread?
Threat actors have escalated their use of phishing as more people work from home. Phishing is one of the most common ways for ransomware to spread. The phishing email targets employees, both low- and high-privileged users. Because email is cheap and simple to use, it’s a good means for attackers to distribute ransomware.
Users are accustomed to receiving documents over email and have no qualms about opening a file attached to an email. The malicious macro executes, downloading ransomware to the local device before delivering its payload. Ransomware is a prevalent malware attack due to its ease of distribution via email.
Read More: How do spear phishing attacks differ from standard phishing attacks
Conclusion
If a device connects to the internet, it should have the most recent software security patches installed, as well as anti-malware that detects and stops ransomware. Operating systems like Windows XP that are no longer supported are at a much higher risk.
One of the earliest of the current breed of ransomware, CryptoLocker encrypted a user’s hard drive and attached network drives and demanded payment in cryptocurrency (Bitcoin). The Cryptolocker was transmitted using an email attachment posing as FedEx and UPS tracking notices. In 2014, a decryption tool was released for this. However, CryptoLocker, however, is said to have extorted upwards of $27 million, according to several estimates.
These days, ransomware assaults are all too common. It has affected major corporations in both North America and Europe. Cybercriminals will target any individual or firm, and victims will come from a variety of industries.
