Ransomware: To Pay or Not To Pay?

Ransomware is a type of malware that restricts access to user data by encrypting an infected computer’s files in exchange for payment to decrypt. The attacker often distributes a large-scale phishing campaign in the hope that someone will open the malicious attachment or link. Once infected, the device is unusable and the victim is faced with the decision of whether or not to pay the extortionist to recover the decryption key.

Only in certain cases have keys been recovered. Over the years, Radware researchers have also followed the ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) industry, which offers novice users the ability to launch their own campaigns for an established price or percentage of the profit. Ransomware has existed for over two decades but has only recently gained popularity among for-profit criminals. This trend has tapered off because ransomware campaigns generate a great deal of attention, notifying potential victims and thereby discouraging them from paying. Campaigns that attract less attention are typically more profitable.

Ransomware campaigns follow a standard pattern of increased activity in the beginning before settling down. Ransomware, once incredibly popular, has fallen out of favor with attackers, who now prefer cryptojacking campaigns. Because of the amount of attention that ransomware campaigns generate, most groups target a wide range of industries, including manufacturing, retail and shipping, in the hope of finding some success.

[You may also like: The Origin of Ransomware and Its Impact on Businesses]

If you think that your organization could be a target of a ransomware campaign, shoring up your network is critical. Ransomware can be delivered in various ways, most commonly via spam/phishing emails containing a malicious document. Other forms of infection include exploit kits, Trojans and the use of exploits to gain unauthorized access to an infected device.

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