What is a Cyber Ransomware Attack?

A week does not go by without us hearing the term ransomware.   The most recent case was Garmin , the GPS device and services provider, which confirmed on Monday  that the worldwide outage starting on July 23, 2020 that took down the vast majority of its offerings for five days was caused by a ransomware attack.  Another big example was the “WannaCry” cyber ransomware attack, which spread globally and has caused roughly $1 billion USD in damage.   It also infected approximately 300,000 computers worldwide.  As we continue to hear about ransomware, let’s pause and understand what exactly  is this “ransomware”  that has all of us concerned and causing companies to pay thousands to millions to regain access to their networks.

• Ransomware” is malicious computer software built by a hacker that has the sole purpose of rendering your computer or device useless; unless you are willing to pay the hacker a specified amount of money, i.e. the ransom. Just like in the kidnap scene of the Hollywood blockbusters “Die Hard”; the hacker takes your computer or device hostage and requests payment(s) in order to have them either not harm your data or to release it. 
• The harm to your data can be done by the ransomware program encrypting it , i.e.  making it unusable or not  readable by you unless you have a special way to decipher the key used by the hackers to lock your data.  Even more nefarious is that the ransomware can threaten to destroy or wipe out your data or to publish it publically on the internet and elsewhere  unless you pay up.
• Usually when this "ransomware" software is launched on your computer  or device, it is done in a way so the user cannot just exit out of the "'ransomware" program. It may require the person to either pay by a set date/time or risk losing access to everything on that infected device.   Loss means hackers will usually destroy /wipe out your information so that thereafter  it no longer exists for your use.
  
  The advice from the FBI and law enforcement community is mixed.  Officially they encourage you not pay the ransom, but if you don’t have measures in place to recover the lost data, then the advice is usually “just pay.”  If the option is lose your business and livelihood or part with a few thousand dollars or bitcoin, you will have to be the judge. The answer depends on what is appropriate in your situation.   In the next installment we will go into detail about the effects of ransomware and how it can affect you personally or your organization.