How Do Ransomware Attacks Happen?

Recently, there have been over 140 reports of ransomware attacks in 2019. This is undoubtedly something you might’ve heard before but are probably unfamiliar with. Organizations such as hospitals, schools, local governments, and emergency departments have all become victims of ransomware attacks. What are these? This usually starts when hackers send the organization phishing emails. The employees click on that email which gives the hackers access to the organization’s internal systems. This malware can then encrypt your files, infect your system and also deny access to the users, restricting them from entering the system. This can spread around your organization’s network and reach to other computers.

After this, the hackers will demand ransom which can be in millions. Only when you pay the hackers in the form of bitcoins, they will decrypt your files and grant you access. They will demand any sort of virtual currency so that they are not easy to track. Some people do not see this as a serious issue, but it can affect entire infrastructures. If a hospital is a victim, it might prevent it from accepting new patients. Just imagine the disastrous consequences when 911 was hacked. Even after you pay the attackers ransom, you have no guarantee if they will ever access the system again or not.

How Do They Get Away With It?

Ransomware has become a huge problem now, and it is continuing to grow. It is a huge money-making opportunity for hackers and cybercriminals. As they also manage to get paid, they must be devoting quite a lot of resources to come up with new methods of ransomware. It is not easy to track the particular hacker or be suspect someone because it could be anyone from a lone hacker to groups that are sponsored by states.
Most of the time, ransomware attacks occur due to negligence. The main people responsible for this are the ones managing the organization’s IT department. To be even more specific, people responsible for IT department security must take appropriate measures to ensure that they are fully secure. Moreover, the slightest sloppiness can lead to a plethora of disasters. Regular checks are vital, and things such as updating and deploying systems should also be regularly scheduled. Each and every person should stay alert due to the rising number of cases coming up.

Ransomware Prevention

More stress is given to this because while it might seem like an act motivated by money, it can also be a distraction attack by nation-state attackers and cybercriminals. Due to the never-ending risks, prevention is extremely essential. The number of victims has reduced since the all-time high in 2016, but the losses are still huge. Most importantly, the problem is still there.  This is proof enough that ransomware is a more significant threat than it might seem like and effects all the people associated in any way with the particular organization.