Ransomware is a type of malicious software, or malware, that encrypts a victim's personal data, making files and the systems that rely on them unusable, until a ransom is paid. Attackers then demand a payment, typically in difficult-to-trace digital currencies like Bitcoin, other cryptocurrencies, or pre-paid voucher services like PaysafeCard, in exchange for a decryption key to restore access to the victim's data.
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The primary goal of ransomware is almost always financial gain through extortion. Victims are coerced into paying for the ransomware to be removed, either by receiving a program to decrypt files or an unlock code.
Ransomware is often designed to spread across a network and target database and file servers, and can thus quickly paralyze an entire organization. It is a growing threat, generating billions of dollars in payments to cybercriminals and inflicting significant damage and expenses for businesses and governmental organizations.
Ransomware attacks and their variants are rapidly evolving to counter preventive technologies for several reasons:
Today’s thieves don’t even have to be tech savvy. Ransomware marketplaces have sprouted up online, offering malware strains for any would-be cybercrook and generating extra profit for the malware authors, who often ask for a cut in the ransom proceeds.
Pinpointing the individuals behind ransomware attacks is a significant challenge due to a confluence of factors that shield cybercriminals from detection and prosecution.
Ransomware as a service (RaaS) is a cybercrime economic model that allows malware developers to earn money for their creations without the need to distribute their threats. Other criminals buy their wares and launch the infections, while paying the developers a percentage of their take.
The developers run relatively few risks, and their customers do most of the work. Some instances of ransomware as a service use subscriptions, while others require registration to gain access to the ransomware.
Ransomware attacks pose a multitude of risks and complex challenges businesses face when targeted and extorted:
To avoid ransomware and mitigate damage if you are attacked, follow these tips:
If you suspect you’ve been hit with a ransomware attack, < a href="/contact-us/emergency-services/">it’s important to act quickly. Fortunately, there are a number of steps you can take to give you the best possible chance of minimizing damage and quickly returning to business as usual.
When faced with the possibility of weeks or months of recovery, it might be tempting to give in to a ransom demand. But there are a number of reasons why this is a bad idea:
Trellix provides critical coverage for all stages of a sophisticated ransomware campaign—from reconnaissance to recovery—offering unmatched visibility and reduced time to detection and response.
With Trellix, you can minimize the mean time to detect (MTTD) and respond (MTTR) to ransomware threats. The Trellix Security Platform offers AI-powered speed, reducing cost and increasing SOC analysts’ productivity with automatic prioritization, guided response, rollback actions, and ready-to-use playbooks.
The Trellix Advanced Research Center analyzed more than 9,000 real-world ransomware attacks to develop a kill chain model that helps combat ransomware and reduce time to value, cost, complexity, and overall risk. Leverage rich threat intelligence from the Trellix Advanced Research Center to decrease false positives and ensure your SOC spends time fighting attackers instead of chasing alerts.
The AI-powered Trellix Security Platform provides comprehensive native controls, offering a one-platform, best-of-breed tool to replace five or more point products. The open platform integrates over 1,000 third-party data sources, providing quick time to value with more than 500 out-of-the-box integrations.
Paying ransomware is generally not recommended for a number of reasons:
There are a number of steps you should take to respond to a ransomware attack:
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Reviewed by Tom Stitt, who serves as Director of Network Security Product Marketing at Trellix, leading strategy for Network Detection and Response solutions. With over two decades of cybersecurity experience at companies including Cisco, ExtraHop, BitSight, and IBM, Tom specializes in product launches, market positioning, and alliance partnerships across enterprise security markets.