David has over 40 years of industry experience in software development and information technology and a bachelor of computer science
We live in a world that is basically good. For most of us, doing right by others goes without saying. We help our neighbors when they need an extra pair of hands, we shovel snow for the elderly couple next door, and we even help old ladies across the street. We can't help it, we were raised that way. But where there's light, there is also dark. There is a bad element that lives in the shadows whose purpose is diametrically opposed to ours. Their goal is to do wrong by others and profit from it. There is, of course, no shortage of ways to do just that. One, in particular, is ransomware.
Ransomware is malicious computer software that affects the ability of a user to access things like:
Once this access has been restricted, the software informs the user that they can regain access by paying a fee (a ransom, hence the name). The significance of this type of activity can't be understated. If you disagree, just think of how much trouble it would cause if you lost access to the contact list on your cell phone, or your appointment schedule on your desktop computer. For most, the effects would be problematic at the very least.
As you might expect, the removal of ransomware isn't easy and depends on the type of ransomware. If it were easy, it wouldn't be profitable for the attacker. Once infected, the only real recourse you have is to pay the ransom. But, there are no guarantees that you will regain access. A better approach is to protect your system from ransomware ever gaining access. Some things you can do include:
Many examples of ransomware exist, too many to list here. Notable ones include:
HTML embedded ransomware that has a severe alert level associated with it:
Win32 embedded ransomware that has a severe alert level associated with it:
JavaScript embedded ransomware that has a severe alert level associated with it:
Note that ransomware is embedded in the code used in a computer system. HTML and JavaScript are browser-based for the most part and Win32 is system-based. Also, the alert level is an indication of how likely you are to encounter these threats. Since most are prominent worldwide, their alert levels are severe.
To recap, ransomware is malicious computer software that restricts access to things like computers, parts of computers, and information. Ransomware removal isn't easy. It is better to avoid it by doing the following: avoid suspicious websites, avoid email attachments, avoid suspicious webpage links, and use protection software. There are a number of ransomware examples exist, most with severe alert levels.
To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member.
Create your account
Already a member? Log In
Back
I would definitely recommend Study.com to my colleagues. It’s like a teacher waved a magic wand and did the work for me. I feel like it’s a lifeline.
