A Complete Guide to Ransomware: What It is and How to Stop It

2019 has seen an increase of 41% in ransomware attacks than in 2018. That’s only one year’s percentage increases. Needless to say, by the end of 2020, we’ll see the sheer amount of damage that’s been done over a year’s time.

Whether you’re a school or a midsized business, there’s a high chance that ransomware will be targeting your organization in the near future (if it hadn’t already).

If you’re unaware of what ransomware is all about, then you might be already at a cybersecurity disadvantage. Yet, you’ve come to the right place to learn all about ransomware.

Keep on reading for our full breakdown of ransomware, its protection, as well as what types of ransomware attacks you need to keep an eye on.

What Is Ransomware?

Before taking a deep dive into the details of ransomware attacks, let’s start with the basics.

Ransomware, also known as ransom malware, is a specific type of malware that locks out authorized users from accessing their own system and data. Then, cybercriminals will demand ransom for their victims to regain access to their own files.

The first versions of ransomware were developed in the late 80s, and the payment —the ransom money— was sent to the criminals using snail mail.

Of course, with today’s technology on hand, ransomware has evolved showing sophistication in terms of the malware itself, as well as its payment methods.

It’s becoming more common to send payment to ransomware authors using cryptocurrencies or even credit cards.

Ransomware 101: How Does One Get Ransomware?

There are a plethora of ways that your organization can be hit with ransomware.

Currently, one of the most common vehicles of ransomware is malicious spam, also known as malspam.

How Malspam Works

Basically, malspam is an unsolicited email that’s used to deliver malware. This email can be loaded with infected attachments like word documents and PDF files.

In addition, the email might contain links to malicious websites that can infect your system the moment one of your authorized users clicks on them.

The way malspam works is by using social engineering to persuade people to open these attachments or to click on those malicious links. A simple way of doing so is by making the email look legitimate.

For instance, people are more likely to lower their guard once they (subconsciously) deem an email to be trustworthy. Cybercriminals can easily manipulate an email to look as if it’s coming from a trusted institution or a known party.

Malvertising in Ransomware

Another common method of infecting your system with ransomware is malvertising.

Malvertising, which is also known as malicious advertising, is the methodology of using online advertising to disseminate malware with minimal user interaction.

By simply browsing the web, users can be funneled into criminal servers without being aware of it, or even clicking on a single ad. These servers will collect essential details about their victims’ computers, like their location data.

Afterward, these cybercriminals will pick the best malware that they have on hand that’s suited to their intended victims. In most cases, that malware is ransomware.

Furthermore, malvertising will use invisible webpage elements or infected iframes to carry the bulk of its work.

These elements or iframes will redirect a user into an exploit landing page. Once the user is there, their system will be attacked by malicious code that can download malware without the user’s knowledge.

What Are the Main Types of Ransomware?

At this point, we’ve discovered the main forms of getting access to an organization’s systems and files.

Malspam and malvertising are the roads that can get cybercriminals to access to your data, but it’s not the ransomware itself. This brings us to the actual types of ransomware and how they can affect your system.

Mild Ransomware: Scareware

There are different levels of nastiness when it comes to ransomware. Scareware is the mildest form. Generally speaking, scareware works by trying to scare you into paying ransom for data that wasn’t even stolen in the first place.

Scareware operates by delivering a rogue security software or a tech support scam pop-up. That pop-up will tell you that they’ve discovered malware on your computer, and the only way for you to remove that malware is by paying them to do so.

Of course, that’s categorically false. If you decide to do nothing about these messages, you’ll get more pop-ups. However, your actual data is safe.

The simplest way to detect scareware is by checking your current cybersecurity software program.

Any managed security service would never solicit their own clients that way. If you’re getting popups from random “security” companies, then it’s almost certainly scareware.

Moderate Ransomware: Screen Lockers

Screen lockers, and other lock-screen based ransomware, is much trickier to deal with than scareware.

Lock-screen ransomware works by freezing you out of your computer. A common screen-lock ransomware will show you a screen that pretends to belong to a legitimate U.S. department, like the FBI or the US department of justice.

This official-looking screen will state that some sort of illegal activity has been found on your computer, and in order to unlock your system, you have to pay a fine.

Needless to say, that’s not how any legitimate organization works. If either of these departments actually has a concern with something on your computer, they’ll follow the appropriate legal channels.

Severe Ransomware: Encryption Malware

This type  is where the most severe damage occurs to your data.

In the simplest of terms, this malware will grab your files and encrypt them. Afterward, the cybercriminals responsible will ask you to pay them in order to get your data decrypted and sent back to you.

The glaring issue here is that these criminals already have your files and data. Once it reaches this level, there is no software that can give you back these files.

In most cases, you have to pay the asked-for ransom to get your data back. However, even if you do pay the ransom, there is no single guarantee that these cybercriminals will give you back your files.

Moreover, they can sell your files to your competitors with ease. At that point, you can assume that your data is not secure and could be sent anywhere and to anyone.

Ready to Secure Your System?

Reckoning with the power to ransomware can be a bit terrifying.

However, it’s much better for you and your organization to understand the actual threat of ransomware before you fall victim to one instead of the other way around.

Now that you’ve learned all about ransomware and its types, you can check out the guide on preventing ransomware and protecting your data.

Yet, there is much to be said for a comprehensive security system that can take care of your security and your IT management all in one swoop.

Make sure to contact us, and our team will be able to help you streamline your IT management from the inside out.