What is ransomware?

What is ransomware?

According to Wikipedia’s definition, ransomware can be defined as follows:

“Ransomware, or ransomware, is made up of many layers of malicious software with the function of restricting access to the computer system it has infected and requiring payment to the person who created the malware to remove the previously created access restriction. Some types of ransomware encrypt files and data on the hard drive (to extort money), while others are easier to lock the system and display a message to convince the victim.“

A typical ransom is approximately 150 USD – 500 USD for personal computers. It can be up to thousands of dollars for organizations and businesses. Hackers mainly ask victims to pay ransom in bitcoin or via wire transfer. In recent years, ransomware distributors have preferred Bitcoin ransom transactions due to their high level of security and the difficulty of tracing them.

How does ransomware get into your computer?

Your computer is at risk of getting infected with ransomware if:

• Find and use cracked software of unknown origin
• Click on the attachment in the email (usually Word file, PDF file)
• Click on Ads containing ransomware
• Accessing websites with corrupt, unhealthy content
• Visit a fake website.
• And there are plenty of other ways to infect ransomware as the hacker’s creativity improves over time.

What types of ransomware are there?

Basically, after a small operation, your computer gets infected with ransomware without them noticing. Hackers give files containing ransomware a harmless appearance, such as a Word, Excel, or PDF file. However, these are executable code files (.exe). Once you click on it, these files will run in the background right away.

Based on some differences in how it works, ransomware can be divided into 3 main types:

• Encryption
• Not encrypting
• Leaky goods

In the meantime, however, ransomware has kept pace with technological developments and there are more types of ransomware on mobile devices (Android and iOS), ransomware in IoT, or even DSLR cameras that can also be infected with this malware. .

How do you protect yourself from ransomware attacks?

Here are the easiest ways to protect yourself from ransomware attacks

• Use external sources to regularly back up your files so that you can restore them after potentially infected files have been deleted.
• Be careful with email attachments and links. Avoid clicking on advertising links and websites from unknown sources;
• Install a reliable antivirus and keep your operating system and software applications updated.
• Enable the “Show file extensions” option in Windows settings so that you can easily check the extensions of your files. Avoid extensions like .exe .vbs and .scr;
• Avoid accessing websites that are not secured by the HTTPS protocol (ie URLs that start with “https: //”). However, be aware that many malicious websites also implement the HTTPS protocol to confuse victims, and this protocol alone does not guarantee that the website is legitimate or safe.
• Visit the website NoMoreRansom.org, a website founded by law enforcement and IT security companies, works to destroy ransomware. This site offers free decryption toolkits as well as prevention tips for infected users.

How I wrote on the show “Guide for beginners“Security is the most important thing to think about before entering the cryptocurrency market. Because if you lose your money because of just one small mistake, it’s really not worth it. So arm yourself with more knowledge or tips that can help you avoid the risk of harm to you the most.