Hi Tony

I am not an expert but will share the little knowledge I have about the subject matter:

A ransomware is a type of malware or extortion software that locks and encrypts a person/organisation(victim's) data, files, devices or systems making them inaccessible and unusable until the attacker receives a ransom payment. The word ransom tells it all, a criminal demands a ransom in exchange of decryption. Attackers may delete your data or threaten to leak or expose the data they would have stolen from your system.

How does ransomeware work:

The perpetrators gain access to your system , establish control and plant malicious encryption software. They may take copies of your data and threaten to leak it or steal it.

Once the malware is activated the devices are locked causing the data across the network or on the system to be encrypted. The encryption means you can no longer access the data.

You might receive- usually an on-screen notification from the cyber criminal asking for the ransom and how to make the payment in order for your computer to be unlocked (decryption) for you to gain access to your data or system. some experts say that usually payment is demanded via anonymous web page indicating the currency you need to make a payment and how much.

It will then be important to establish how the perpetrators gained access in the first place to avoid any future attacks.

Prevention is better than cure though, It is always important to have measures in place to protect your systems, regular back-ups, changing passwords, running anti-virus scans regularly and a lot more.

There is so much expert information regarding prevention and action plans to take when infected. I would look at the The National Cyber Security Centre- a government organisation that can provide you with more information.

I hope this helps.

Regards

Faith

Thank you Faith, that's very helpful! I already have anti-virus software that carries out scans and backups regularly, but I will look at the National Cyber Security Centre website too

Hi Tony 

Malware is computer software that is specifically designed to disrupt, damage, or gain unauthorised access to a computer system. Ransomware is a type of malware which is designed to block access to a computer system until a sum of money is paid. It is becoming increasingly common and you will often hear about it in the news. It could be helpful to understand what it is and how you can protect yourself.

Malware and ransomware are types of software that have been developed for nefarious purposes, to evade security measures, and enable cyber criminals to extract money from individuals and organisations.

Trends with ransomware can vary according to industry, however there is increasing evidence that cyber criminals will seek smaller rewards over more victims to increase the likelihood of ensuring financial gain.

The best 3 protections against ransomware are:

1) Strong passwords—use 3 random words, a number and special characters to create a long and strong password. For example, Hippo!Rocket?Pizza100. A long and strong password that is easy for you to remember.

2) 2-Factor Authentication (2FA) enabled on all accounts—this way if an attacker gains access to your password then you will also have an additional layer of protection.

3) Auto updates—you can change your computer or device settings to auto-update; this is a patch being released by the company and should not be delayed.

Hope this helps 

Ben 

Thank you Ben, all information is useful and appreciated!