Well, you guys might have heard about the different computer viruses, malware, spyware, etc. All these things are computer software made to do something wrong on your computer. These software’s sole purpose is to retrieve important information from your PC or spam you or just to blackmail for the ransom. Today, in this article we will be discussing the ransomware.
What actually a ransomware is?
It is a type of malware that blackmails you to give ransom if you want your computer files back. It has made fast strides and is now unbelievably pervasive. The malware comes in two types: cryptors and blockers. After your computer is infected, cryptors encrypt your valuable data, almost every data in the computer. Once they are encrypted, this file cannot be opened and a user cannot access them. Now, the people behind all these, demand some ransom in exchange of your data. The ransom is about $300 in average.
Blockers are so named because they block access to the infected device, which means not only are the victim’s files inaccessible, the entire system is. The ransom demand for a blocker is usually not as large as for a cryptor.
The ransomware malware targets all operating systems like Windows, Linus, Mac OS, Android, IOS, etc. Usually, the ransomware is transferred when you click the suspicious link, open the malicious attachment, install the third-party app store, etc. However, the malware could come from legitimate websites too.
That means it is pretty easy to fool users to think they are downloading or opening something important when instead they are screwing themselves. So, it would be better if you use some trusted antivirus program. However, if your files are already encrypted, you need to decrypt them to get the access back.
Moreover, paying ransom is like getting stuck in quicksand, more you try to get out more you will sink. First of all, you might not have money available. Second, paying ransom motivates cybercriminal, and third, perhaps the most important, you are never sure that the paying ransom will actually solve the problem. According to a research, 20% of victims who paid never got their files back.
So, how to protect yourself?
- Do not click anything that you don’t have any idea about.
- Backup your data regularly. Its good idea to have different offline storage for your backup data.
- Install a good antivirus program.
- The most important, if you are attacked by ransomware, never ever pay the ransom and let the police know that you are being cyberbullied.
Hope you got the general idea about ransomware and ways to protect yourself from it. Share your thoughts on the comment box below. If you have any queries or confusion you can always ask here.
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