Ransomware

Ransomware is a specific kind of cyber crime where the attacker does not just steal data — they lock you out of your own system. The word is a combination of "ransom" and "software", and that is exactly how it works: the attacker holds your data hostage.

The core method is encryption. The attacker gains access to your computer and then encrypts your files, making them completely unreadable and inaccessible to you. Once this is done, the victim is blocked from using their own data.

The attacker then blackmails the victim. The demand is usually a payment — a ransom — in exchange for the decryption key that would restore access to the data. In some cases, the threat is even more personal: the attacker may threaten to publish sensitive information, private photographs, or other personal data unless the ransom is paid.

Ransomware does not appear on a system by accident. It typically enters through one of three common routes:

• Malicious or unsecure websites: Simply visiting such a site can trigger a download.
• Doubtful software repositories: Downloading software from untrusted sources is a major risk.
• Spam email attachments: Many ransomware strains are delivered as attachments in spam emails. …