Ransomware refers to malware that tends to encrypt files. It stops the users from accessing the computer or any portable device, leading smartphones with android and IOS versions until one pays money. So if you ask me which type of device is the top target for ransomware? It is smartphones and PCs.
The ransom amount varies and depends on the files and the targeted field. However, I have seen that the amount remains between 200 to 2000 US dollars. Furthermore, if your PC is connected to another network or device, the ransomware is transferred, spreads, and attacks the storage devices. Alongside this, the user may lose all the files and the data stored in the device if he doesn’t pay the ransom immediately. Hence, I would recommend you learn how to be a ransomware victim.
- If you visit any unsafe or fake websites
- If you have opened any web content that has arrived from people you don’t know, Open malicious links in emails, Facebook, social media posts, or SMS chats.
Who is the Easy Target of Ransomware?
Some organizations don’t acquire protections to protect their data and files disclosed in the face of a cyberattack. Therefore, they become the easy target of ransomware too. As a result, hospital and health care sectors, IT industries, government sectors, education sectors, and many more have become the target of ransomware.
If I go on to find out who is the easy target of ransomware, it is undoubtedly the education institutions. The education sector, including both higher and lower education, is among the vulnerable victims of ransomware; it is increasingly being hit, with 60%, according to a recent survey. The sector has been suffering attacks since 2021, as surveyed by the Britain-based security software and hardware company. The ‘State of Ransomware in Education 2022’ has faced the highest data encryption rate compared to other sectors, which have undergone the longest recovery time of almost three months.
From my perspective, the reason behind this trouble lies in their management team, which the educational sector especially lacks. Most colleges and educational institutes don’t have professional solid IT teams for defenses or goldmines of personal data they hold, which can protect them from cyberattacks. Thus this leads to higher attack success and encryption rates. But, again, the encrypted data relates to the confidential student records, though the impact is worse than what the industries would experience.
How Does the Ransomware Attack Take Place?
Ransomware gains the power to attack your computer or device and encrypt the stored data. Now you are wondering how it takes place. The prime reason ransomware tries to infuse its dominance in your device is when victims download malware through email attachments from unknown sources. Ransomware helps by preventing you from accessing the files stored on your device.
Hackers use malicious software to hold and lock your files hostage, which can create havoc on an extensive scale, disabling you from accessing those data until you pay the ransom. Once the ransom is demanded, it is impossible that you will get the data or can restore them on your device. If you want to take a deeper look into the Trajectory of Ransomware of attacking devices as I have done, you have to get a broad idea of it. Go through the steps to encounter how ransomware attacks take place.
Step 1: Distribution Vectors
Several vectors of ransomware operate to access a computer. Amongst them, the most common delivery system is phishing spam. You will encounter such attachments via email, masquerading as a file you can easily trust. Once these attachments are downloaded, this malware takes power over your computer; built-in social engineering tools are a plus where the user is tricked by allowing administrative access. Although it is one of the standards and simple forms, the most dangerous form of Ransomware is NotPetya exploits security holes to infect computers.
Step 2: Data Encryption
If ransomware gains the power to access my device, it will encrypt my files and data. Since the encryption functionalities incorporate an operating system, it can simply involve accessing files, using an attacker-controlled key, and doing the aggressive step of removing and replacing the original data and files with the encrypted versions. Most ransomware variants remain cautious when selecting files to ensure system stability. Some variants also delete backup files and shadow copies of files to make a recovery.
Step 3: Demanding Ransom
Once ransomware is completed with its encryptions, it will demand ransom from the users. It depends on the ransomware variants and how they represent the ransom to the users. But one common point you may notice if you have ever fallen into this pitfall is that the background of the file directory changes displaying each file directory containing the ransom note.
What are the Main Targets of Ransomware?
Ransomware’s prime motive is to allow cybercriminals to prohibit direct access of the victim to their files until they pay a handsome ransom. Ransomware is operated by encryption algorithms designed to ensure the accession of the decryption key, which is to be reversed and restore the original, usable version. It is hugely targeting a few sectors, and due to the dominance of ransomware, these sectors are having havoc on the usability and demolishing the authenticity of valuable data stored in their files. So, asking ‘what are the main targets of ransomware,’ I will illuminate the sectors prone to be affected by Ransomware attacks.
Government Organizations
Cybercriminals often attack these sectors due to the lack of end-to-end encryption in police stations and government offices. Moreover, the lack of maintenance in the files and directories allows criminals to attack these sectors with ransomware quickly. The files they store are highly confidential, and eliminating a single file can draw them enormous losses. Taking advantage of this, many cyber criminals attack their devices via ransomware to get good ransoms.
Healthcare and Hospital system
Another essential sector that gets ransomware attacks randomly is the healthcare system. This sector is a necessary part of the ordinary people who often become vulnerable in front of those cyber attacks. Cybercriminals attack this with ransomware, as it is an emergency sector holding the data of millions of people. Attacking hospitals would give them a bunch of ransoms as they want to get out of these attacks immediately and pay the ransoms whatever is demandable to them.
Human Resource Sector
The HR team also becomes the subject of ransomware because when any team member clicks on malicious emails or links, it becomes the victim of the ransomware. To handle this type of malfunction, you may use some antivirus and good cyber network protection, which will protect you whenever you click on unknown files or attachments from strange people.
What are the Top Two Targets for Ransomware Attacks?
Farming and Food Production
The supply chain disruption caused by Covid-19 turned into a weak point in the FMCG industries that hints at vulnerabilities. The lack of up-to-date cybersecurity practices in this sector leads to the confrontation with the ransomware cyber criminals used to attack the FMCG market by ruining their storage files and directories. Mainly the small FMCG companies are becoming the victims of this ransomware which is in the increasing trend of paralyzing these companies, affecting their demands, supply chain, and revenue growth.
Manufacturing Companies
Ransomware is a sneaky threat to those sectors that lack in keeping their files up to date and protected from antivirus. According to recent surveys, ransomware has attacked manufacturing companies around the globe this year, three times more than the estimation in 2021. The numbers are increasing day by day, but a sturdy step against these attacks is still lacking behind. Small companies do not keep their devices protected from antiviruses or train their employees to handle ransomware attacks on their PCs cleverly.
In my opinion, they can configure walls, so ransomware cannot enter their devices.
What are the Most Common Methods of Ransomware?
Ransomware is elevating-an increasingly sophisticated that our industries are facing these days. Nothing seems to be immune once they get hacked with this malware bombing in the trend of industrial functionalities. Now, I think you have been thinking about the most common Ransomware methods. Here is the answer-
Phishing Emails
Phishing email attacks are the most common methods of ransomware. It is the simplest instead through which the hackers easily compel the user to click on the attachment links by convincing an individual to click to open an attachment that directly downloads ransomware to their system. This ransomware vector takes advantage of the formations of social engineering in which cyber criminals disguise themselves as trustable e-mailer, where the receipt trusts them and falls into the trap of their tricks by granting administrative access to corporate systems.
Web Pages
You can also find the ransomware codes between the web pages, which come from keywords. As the reader clicks on those keywords, they become potential ransomware victims. On the other hand, you may find the complete web page fake. If you study them thoroughly, you will encounter severe differences in the content with the website it is linked to; the content it displays is unauthentic, and spelling and grammar have flaws and other issues. Then, as you click on those links to download the file, it infects the user’s system and encrypts the files and data.
Pop-Ups
Another malicious vector of ransomware is the pop-ups that display as a genuine link but as a phishing scheme that infects users’ devices rapidly. In most cases, these pop-ups direct the victims to open another window posed as a genuine brand that automatically downloads ransomware to their devices.
Instant Message
Users are becoming cautious about the phishing schemes of hackers. Now they are pursuing ransomware, taking advantage of instant messages on WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Snapchat, and other mediums. The attacking methods remain the same as they do during the emails. A few years ago, due to the increasing trafficking through ransomware, many reputable companies eliminated the usage of these platforms. Still, with the increase in remote work facilities, companies are resuming using these platforms to make the work smooth and seamless.
Best Ways to Prevent Ransomware Attacks?
To reduce the situation of finding yourself in front of a locked device, you may create metamorphic solutions, which are the best ways to prevent ransomware attacks. For example, you can reduce the risk by enrolling security software in your device and paying more attention to updating your files. Also, let us see some primitive solutions for reducing the risk of getting hacked by ransomware.
Avoid Clicking on Unsafe Links
Don’t click on spam messages that give elusive offers or something lucrative to your job and company. If you click on a malicious link, an automated download gets started, a sign of a ransomware attack.
Never Open Suspicious Emails
We often get hacked by emails from unknown people offering elusive benefits to your company. Such emails are not meant for your company; it is just a step to hack you so that you have to pay to access your files.
Never Use Unknown USB Plugins
Connecting new or unknown USB sticks to your computers gives direct access to ransomware in your device. Cybercriminals have already hacked these USB sticks, enticing others into using them.
Use VPN in Public Wifi Networks
Regular or broad use of wifi networks can create havoc on your device. Using VPN can protect your device from ransomware in such cases from getting hacked by ransomware. However, as you use public wifi, your device becomes vulnerable to such attacks.
According to recent data, a reputable company in America has been violently attacked by ransomware. Thus, to save yourself from such severe blows of ransomware, infuse ransomware protection software found on the internet.