Getting hit by a ransomware attack can throw your week, if not your month or your year, into disarray. But depending on the breach, you might have several viable paths forward to recover your data. You might even be able to slip the trap and avoid paying altogether.
Ransomware may be the fastest-growing risk to businesses across sectors. Attacks this year have jumped by 93 percent compared to 2020, a period which itself witnessed a 485 percent increase from the previous year. Cybersecurity Ventures projects damages caused by ransomware attacks will exceed $265 billion by 2031.
A proposed cybersecurity bill would hold countries harboring cyberattackers responsible for their actions in a manner similar to anti-terrorism measures.
How Does Ransomware Work?
Although cybercriminals use a variety of methods to execute a ransomware infection, common vectors include phishing emails, malicious attachments, unpatched systems, credential hijacking, free software downloads and malware-laced websites or advertisements.
Once the malware is deployed, ransomware spreads to other machines, encrypting them, stealing confidential data (like emails, login credentials and other intellectual property) and attempting to delete backups. Inevitably, the victim is expected to pay a fee (usually in cryptocurrency) in exchange for…
