2. Engagement
The recipient, unaware of the scam, engages with the email by downloading a file attachment or following a link to a malicious site hosting the malware.
An increasing number of organizations were affected by encryption ransomware last year. This nasty form of malware encrypts, or locks, your files, then demands a monetary ransom for their return. During 2016, 37% of phishing attacks delivered ransomware1. So, how does a ransomware attack happen?
A 2017 ransomware attack infected at least 200,000 computers in over 150 countries.2
Ransomware is often distributed by executable/script files (.js or .exe) or macro-enabled Word douments (.docm).
Ransomware attackers have gone so far as to set up "support" teams to facilitate the payment process. If a payment is not recieved quickly, the price goes up.
Ransomware attack rose 26 percent in the last quarter of 2015
Ransomware is typically distributed in phishing emails. Large and small organizations are increasingly being targeted by these attacks.
The recipient, unaware of the scam, engages with the email by downloading a file attachment or following a link to a malicious site hosting the malware.
The computer is infected and important files are encrypted. Any connected devices, including a backup drive, may also be affected. At this point, any personal or company information stored on your computer or network may be compromised.
The attacker reveals itself to the user. At this point, files are nearly impossible to recover, and a ransom of $150-1000 (USD) is demanded.
In most cases, unless the recipient has access to an unaffected backup, they may feel their only option is to pay the ransom or lose the files.