BotNet News

Ransomware is malware that locks a victim’s files, demanding money for their release. It can infect systems through a wide variety of methods: email attachments, malicious websites, exploit kits, and even inside images.

Cyber criminals target individuals and businesses, but larger organizations are particularly attractive targets. A small attack can quickly impact multiple departments or even the entire organization, causing significant disruption and cost in dollars and in reputation.

Ransomware has come a long way since its introduction in 1989. The first ransomware variant, AIDS Trojan or PC Cyborg, spread through floppy disks and used encryption to hide file directories on a victim’s computer. Victims were asked to pay $189-$378 for a decryption key.

By the early 2000s, ransomware was a widespread problem with various delivery models: locker ransomware, which encrypts files; ransomware as a service (RaaS), which delivers ransomware for a fee; and cryptoransomware, which demands ransom payments in cryptocurrency. In addition, ransomware has evolved to travel across the internet by using a victim’s computing power to mine cryptocurrency for threat actors hundreds or thousands of miles away.

Hospitals are especially vulnerable to ransomware attacks, and many have not been prepared for the impact. They must be able to recognize these new foes and their risk levels, update cybersecurity and enterprise risk management practices, and communicate the nature of these threats to staff, business partners, public policy organizations and law enforcement agencies.

Some tips to avoid becoming a ransomware victim include: Maintain offline, encrypted backups of data and regularly test them. Regularly patch and update operating system software and digital devices, and use a centralized patch management solution. Conduct frequent vulnerability scanning and report any suspicious activities to federal law enforcement through the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.