{"id":2754,"date":"2021-02-01T10:22:10","date_gmt":"2021-02-01T07:22:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mailsafi.com\/blog\/?p=2754"},"modified":"2021-02-01T10:25:03","modified_gmt":"2021-02-01T07:25:03","slug":"ransomware-what-is-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mailsafi.com\/blog\/ransomware-what-is-it\/","title":{"rendered":"Ransomware: The Growing Online Endemic. What is It?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>First things first. <strong>What is ransomware?<\/strong> Ransomware, aptly described in a roundtable discussion in London as <em>\u201cthe endemic of our time\u201d,<\/em> is malicious software that infects your computer and first either:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Encrypts your files to prevent you from accessing them<\/li><li>Locks your computer\/device screen<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Then, it displays messages demanding a fee to be paid in order to restore access to your data, or avoid having your sensitive files leaked to the public, or have your system work again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_49 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"ez-toc-toggle-icon-1\"><label for=\"item-69dad34e8a284\" aria-label=\"Table of Content\"><span style=\"display: flex;align-items: center;width: 35px;height: 30px;justify-content: center;direction:ltr;\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/label><input  type=\"checkbox\" id=\"item-69dad34e8a284\"><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/mailsafi.com\/blog\/ransomware-what-is-it\/#1_How_Does_Ransomware_Get_into_Your_Computer_or_Device\" title=\"1. How Does Ransomware Get into Your Computer or Device?\">1. How Does Ransomware Get into Your Computer or Device?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/mailsafi.com\/blog\/ransomware-what-is-it\/#2_What_Ransomware_Does_to_Your_Machine\" title=\"2. What Ransomware Does to Your Machine\">2. What Ransomware Does to Your Machine<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/mailsafi.com\/blog\/ransomware-what-is-it\/#3_Who_is_a_target_for_ransomware\" title=\"3. Who is a target for ransomware?\">3. Who is a target for ransomware?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/mailsafi.com\/blog\/ransomware-what-is-it\/#4_Should_I_Pay_Ransom\" title=\"4. Should I Pay Ransom?\">4. Should I Pay Ransom?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/mailsafi.com\/blog\/ransomware-what-is-it\/#5_Paying_the_Ransom\" title=\"5. Paying the Ransom\">5. Paying the Ransom<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/mailsafi.com\/blog\/ransomware-what-is-it\/#6_How_to_regain_access_to_your_computer_without_paying_the_ransom\" title=\"6. How to regain access to your computer without paying the ransom\">6. How to regain access to your computer without paying the ransom<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/mailsafi.com\/blog\/ransomware-what-is-it\/#7_How_to_Regain_Access_to_Your_Data_without_Paying_the_Ransom\" title=\"7. How to Regain Access to Your Data without Paying the Ransom\">7. How to Regain Access to Your Data without Paying the Ransom<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/mailsafi.com\/blog\/ransomware-what-is-it\/#8_The_Cost_of_Ransomware\" title=\"8. The Cost of Ransomware\">8. The Cost of Ransomware<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/mailsafi.com\/blog\/ransomware-what-is-it\/#9_How_to_Prevent_Ransomware\" title=\"9. How to Prevent Ransomware\">9. How to Prevent Ransomware<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/mailsafi.com\/blog\/ransomware-what-is-it\/#10_Conclusion\" title=\"10. Conclusion\">10. Conclusion<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"has-vivid-red-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:32px\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_How_Does_Ransomware_Get_into_Your_Computer_or_Device\"><\/span>1. <strong>How Does Ransomware Get into Your Computer or Device?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Ransomware can be installed on your computer or device through deceptive links in an email message, attachments, or links in instant messages (chat), from an infected hardware device such as a flash drive, or via websites. Ransomware has the&nbsp;<strong>ability to lock a computer screen or encrypt important, predetermined files with a password<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are several ways ransomware can get into a system. One of the most common ways is through <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mailsafi.com\/glossary\/phishing-email\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong><span class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">phishing emails<\/span><\/strong><\/a>. Some phishing emails have attachments that masquerade as a file you should trust. Once they&#8217;re downloaded and opened, they can take over your computer, especially if they have built-in social engineering tools that can deceive you into allowing administrative access.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Other more aggressive ransomware forms exploit security weaknesses on systems to infect computers without needing to trick users.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"has-vivid-red-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:32px\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_What_Ransomware_Does_to_Your_Machine\"><\/span><strong>2. What Ransomware Does to Your Machine<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The most common action ransomware takes once inside your computer is to encrypt some or all of the files in it. The files cannot be decrypted without a mathematical key known only by the attacker. You will be presented with a message explaining that your files are now inaccessible and will only be decrypted if you send an untraceable Bitcoin payment to the attacker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Scareware <\/em>is the simplest type of ransomware. It uses scare tactics or intimidation to trick victims into paying up. It can come in the form of fake antivirus software in which a message suddenly appears claiming your computer has been infected with a virus or has other issues, and online payment is necessary to fix them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In a less common form of ransomware, the attacker might&nbsp;impersonate a law enforcement agency&nbsp;by opening up a page that appears to be from local law enforcement officials. The attacker then claims they are shutting down your computer as it was caught performing illegal activities online. This may include claims of pornography or pirated software found on it. The message then proceeds to demand the payment of a &#8220;fine,&#8221; perhaps to make you less likely to report the attack to authorities. Files are then encrypted, making it difficult to recover unless the ransom is paid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another variation is known as <em>leakware <\/em>or <em>doxware<\/em>. Here, the cybercriminal threatens to publicize sensitive data on your hard drive unless you pay a ransom. But because finding and extracting such information is a very tricky proposition for criminals, encryption ransomware is by far the most common type.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sometimes, you may be bombarded with endless alerts and pop-up messages. Other times, the computer will fail to work at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"has-vivid-red-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:32px\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Who_is_a_target_for_ransomware\"><\/span>3. Who is a target for ransomware?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The short answer is <em><strong>everyone<\/strong><\/em>: Every small, mid-size and large organization is fair game. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Nevertheless, while any entity is a possible ransomware target, some are more likely targets than others. Your vulnerability to a ransomware attack can depend on the following factors:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>How attractive is your data to criminal hackers?<\/li><li>How critical it is that you respond quickly to a ransom demand? For example, government agencies and medical facilities often need immediate access to their files. Law firms, telecommunications companies holding phone records, medical institutions, investigation entities, and other organizations with sensitive data may be more willing to pay to keep news of a compromise quiet. These organizations therefore may be better targets for leakware attacks.<\/li><li>How vulnerable are systems? Do you have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mailsafi.com\/glossary\/firewall\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong><span class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">firewalls <\/span><\/strong><\/a>or endpoint protection devices? Are your systems patched? Do you have up-to-date antivirus software on all systems on your network? Do you carry out regular systems audits of your systems?<\/li><li>How well are your staff trained about phishing emails, online security, among other factors?<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, don\u2019t feel like you\u2019re safe if you do not fit in any of these classifications. Ransomware spreads automatically and indiscriminately across the internet, and sometimes it\u2019s also just a matter of opportunity. For example, attackers may choose to target universities because these institutions typically have smaller security teams and a disparate user base that does a lot of file sharing, making it easier to penetrate their defenses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On the other hand, some organizations are tempting targets because they seem more likely to pay a ransom quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"has-vivid-red-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:32px\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_Should_I_Pay_Ransom\"><\/span>4. <strong>Should I Pay Ransom?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>You receive the dreaded ransomware message asking you to pay ransom to recover your data or system. The big question is, <strong>should you pay the ransom?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Before you begin losing sleep about whether you should pay up, first verify that the message demanding a ransom is not the so-called scareware. Less sophisticated programs just take over your current browser session or computer screen. Therefore, your data may actually not be encrypted as indicated, and you may not need to do anything about it; other than ignore the message, of course. Sometimes, rebooting your machine&nbsp;is sufficient action to remove the malicious file.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Theoretically, most law enforcement agencies urge you not to pay ransomware to attackers as doing so only encourages the growth of the market of such software in the Dark Web, consequently funding the cybercriminals to continue with their attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote is-style-default\"><blockquote><p><em>If no-one ever paid a ransom to recover their files, the ransomware business would collapse.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>It is also not advisable to pay the ransom because you have no certainty that the person demanding payment is the original source of the attack. In some cases, the demand note may be from a cybercriminal who just found the code, edited it with his payment details, and sent it. However, in actual fact, he\/she does not have the decryption keys to decrypt your data upon receiving payment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"has-vivid-red-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:32px\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5_Paying_the_Ransom\"><\/span>5. Paying the Ransom<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Many people choose to pay the ransomware to recover their files. Most experts and companies recommend against paying the ransom because it only encourages the ransomware creators and distributors. Yet quite often, it works. It\u2019s your computer and data, and only you can make the best decision on what to do about it, so it\u2019s up to you whether to pay the ransom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Should you choose to pay the ransom, it is important to beware that paying the attackers is not a guarantee that you will recover your lost data or access to your system. Sometimes the criminals just take the money and run, and may not have even built decryption functionality into the ransomware. But any such ransomware will quickly get a bad reputation and won&#8217;t generate revenue, so in most cases, the criminals restore your data. If ransomware didn\u2019t unlock files after the money was paid, everyone would learn that\u2014and ransomware attackers would make less money. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Many businesses that find themselves afflicted by ransomware quickly stop thinking in terms of the &#8220;<em>greater good of the business community<\/em>&#8221; and weigh the cost of paying the ransom against the value of losing the data. According to research from Trend Micro:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote is-style-default\"><blockquote><p><em>While 66% of companies&nbsp;say&nbsp;they would never pay a ransom as a matter of principle, in actual fact, a whopping 65% actually do pay the ransom when they are attacked.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"has-vivid-red-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:32px\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"6_How_to_regain_access_to_your_computer_without_paying_the_ransom\"><\/span>6. <strong>How to regain access to your computer without paying the ransom<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>You may not get your data back, but you can regain access to your computer it if has been infected with ransomware.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>CSO&#8217;s Steve Ragan has a great video demonstrating how to do this on a Windows 10 machine <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/kJuibb9QaWk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><span class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\"><strong>https:\/\/youtu.be\/kJuibb9QaWk<\/strong><\/span><\/a> The video has all the details, but the important steps are to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Reboot Windows 10 to&nbsp;<strong>safe mode<\/strong><\/li><li>Install&nbsp;<strong>antimalware software<\/strong><\/li><li><strong>Scan the system<\/strong>&nbsp;to find the ransomware program<\/li><li><strong>Restore the computer<\/strong>&nbsp;to a previous state<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Important<\/strong>: While walking through these steps, you may be able to remove the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mailsafi.com\/glossary\/malware\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong><span class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">malware <\/span><\/strong><\/a>from your computer and restore it to your control. However, it&nbsp;<em>won&#8217;t decrypt your files without access to the decryption key\/algorithm that the attacker holds.<\/em> In actual fact, by removing the ransomware, you&#8217;ve precluded the possibility of ever restoring your files by paying the attackers the ransom they&#8217;ve asked for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"has-vivid-red-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:32px\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"7_How_to_Regain_Access_to_Your_Data_without_Paying_the_Ransom\"><\/span>7. How to Regain Access to Your Data without Paying the Ransom<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you had your data backed up and safe, then you can simply reformat\/reset your device, apply all critical patches and software, and restore the data from your backup. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Alternatively, you may also opt to use another safe, uninfected computer, and restore your backup. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you don\u2019t have a clean backup copy of your critical data and you absolutely need the data, you need to <strong>find an unlock key<\/strong>. Using another safe, trusted computer, research as much as you can about the particular ransomware variant you have. The screen message presented by the ransomware will help you identify the variant. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re lucky, your ransomware variant may already have been unlocked. Many antimalware vendors have programs to detect and unlock ransomware (if it recognizes the variant and has the unlock key). Cybersecurity experts, such as <a href=\"https:\/\/noransom.kaspersky.com\/\"><strong><span class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">Kaspersky<\/span><\/strong><\/a> and <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.avast.com\/ransomware-decryption-tools\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><span class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">Avast<\/span><\/a><\/strong>, also offer unlocking services, free and commercial, for particular ransomware variants. Run such programs first. It may take an offline scan to get rid of the ransomware. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"has-vivid-red-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:32px\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"8_The_Cost_of_Ransomware\"><\/span>8. <strong>The Cost of Ransomware<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Typical attacks ask for ransom ranging from a few hundred to thousands of dollars, payable in Bitcoin, MoneyPak, or other online payment methods. Some may also demand credit card data, adding another level of financial loss. If the attacker knows the data being held hostage can cause a significant direct financial or reputation loss to a company, they will ask for more ransom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are often <strong>discounts offered for acting fast<\/strong> to encourage victims to pay quickly before thinking too much about it. For instance, you may receive a 50% discount if you pay within three days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Generally, the ransom price is set so that it&#8217;s high enough to be worth the criminal&#8217;s time and effort, but low enough that it&#8217;s still cheaper than what the victim would have to pay to recover their system or reconstruct the lost data. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While some hackers direct victims to pay through Bitcoin, MoneyPak, or other online methods, attackers could also demand credit card data, adding another level of financial loss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"has-vivid-red-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:32px\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"9_How_to_Prevent_Ransomware\"><\/span>9. <strong>How to Prevent Ransomware<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>General good security practices improve your defenses from all kinds of attacks including ransomware attacks. Such practices include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Invest in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mailsafi.com\/email-security\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong><span class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">good email security service<\/span><\/strong><\/a> or <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mailsafi.com\/glossary\/antispam\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><span class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">antispam<\/span> <\/a><\/strong>solution that will filter your emails before delivery to your mailbox. This will significantly reduce the time and effort spent by every-day users in deciding whether an email is legitimate or ransomware, or another form of junk mail.<\/li><li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/mailsafi.com\/blog\/the-golden-3-2-1-backup-rule-an-efficient-data-protection-strategy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><span class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">Backup <\/span><\/a><\/strong>your files regularly and preferably automatically following a <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/mailsafi.com\/blog\/a-resilient-backup-strategy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><span class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">resilient backup strategy<\/span><\/a><\/strong>.  Backup is by far one of the most important tools at your disposal to prepare for a ransomware attack. While backup does not stop ransomware attacks on your primary system, it will ensure easy recovery if your data is encrypted or the primary system is locked. <\/li><li><strong>Keep your eyes peeled<\/strong>! <ul><li>Don\u2019t install any software or give it administrative privileges unless it is from a source you trust. This includes the so-called system patches and updates. Be certain the vendors are real; fake patches often contain ransomware.<\/li><\/ul><ul><li>Don\u2019t install anything sent to you via email from a source you do not know\/trust or offered to you when visiting a website. Install any software you need directly from the legitimate vendor\u2019s website.<\/li><\/ul><\/li><li>Keep your operating systems patched and regularly updated. Where possible, set your systems to download and update patches automatically. This will reduce the risk of indefinite procrastination of this important exercise.<\/li><li>Install and update <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mailsafi.com\/glossary\/antivirus\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><span class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">antivirus<\/span> <\/a><\/strong>and <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mailsafi.com\/glossary\/antimalware\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><span class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">antimalware<\/span> <\/a><\/strong>software programs from reputable companies. This will protect your computer and network against the latest ransomware threats. Windows comes with Windows Defender, but there are dozens of commercial or free malware removal options.<\/li><li>Avoid suspicious websites.<\/li><li>Be alert when opening any suspicious email messages. Don\u2019t click on any links or attachments on emails whose source you do not trust.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"has-vivid-red-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:32px\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"10_Conclusion\"><\/span>10. Conclusion<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>We hope you never become a ransomware victim. The odds of infection, unfortunately, are higher today as ransomware gains popularity and sophistication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The risks posed by ransomware are immense and can have financial and\/or reputational damage for all kinds of businesses, regardless of size. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-light-green-cyan-background-color has-background\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mailsafi.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><span class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">MailSafi <\/span><\/a><\/strong>offers a reliable, <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mailsafi.com\/email-security\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><span class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">best-in-class email security service<\/span><\/a><\/strong> that will filter your emails and block any containing spam, viruses, malware, trojans, ransomware before they ever get to your  mailbox. This will significantly reduce the risk that you or your staff will accidentally click on ransomware emails. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mailsafi.com\/contact-us\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><span class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">Get in touch with us<\/span><\/a><\/strong> today!<\/p>\n<div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div><p id=\"pvc_stats_2754\" class=\"pvc_stats all  \" data-element-id=\"2754\" style=\"\"><i class=\"pvc-stats-icon large\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" version=\"1.0\" viewBox=\"0 0 502 315\" preserveAspectRatio=\"xMidYMid meet\"><g transform=\"translate(0,332) scale(0.1,-0.1)\" fill=\"\" stroke=\"none\"><path d=\"M2394 3279 l-29 -30 -3 -207 c-2 -182 0 -211 15 -242 39 -76 157 -76 196 0 15 31 17 60 15 243 l-3 209 -33 29 c-26 23 -41 29 -80 29 -41 0 -53 -5 -78 -31z\"\/><path d=\"M3085 3251 c-45 -19 -58 -50 -96 -229 -47 -217 -49 -260 -13 -295 52 -53 146 -42 177 20 16 31 87 366 87 410 0 70 -86 122 -155 94z\"\/><path d=\"M1751 3234 c-13 -9 -29 -31 -37 -50 -12 -29 -10 -49 21 -204 19 -94 39 -189 45 -210 14 -50 54 -80 110 -80 34 0 48 6 76 34 21 21 34 44 34 59 0 14 -18 113 -40 219 -37 178 -43 195 -70 221 -36 32 -101 37 -139 11z\"\/><path d=\"M1163 3073 c-36 -7 -73 -59 -73 -102 0 -56 133 -378 171 -413 34 -32 83 -37 129 -13 70 36 67 87 -16 290 -86 209 -89 214 -129 231 -35 14 -42 15 -82 7z\"\/><path d=\"M3689 3066 c-15 -9 -33 -30 -42 -48 -48 -103 -147 -355 -147 -375 0 -98 131 -148 192 -74 13 15 57 108 97 206 80 196 84 226 37 273 -30 30 -99 39 -137 18z\"\/><path d=\"M583 2784 c-38 -19 -67 -74 -58 -113 9 -42 211 -354 242 -373 16 -10 45 -18 66 -18 51 0 107 52 107 100 0 39 -1 41 -124 234 -80 126 -108 162 -133 173 -41 17 -61 16 -100 -3z\"\/><path d=\"M4250 2784 c-14 -9 -74 -91 -133 -183 -95 -150 -107 -173 -107 -213 0 -55 33 -94 87 -104 67 -13 90 8 211 198 130 202 137 225 78 284 -27 27 -42 34 -72 34 -22 0 -50 -8 -64 -16z\"\/><path d=\"M2275 2693 c-553 -48 -1095 -270 -1585 -649 -135 -104 -459 -423 -483 -476 -23 -49 -22 -139 2 -186 73 -142 361 -457 571 -626 285 -228 642 -407 990 -497 242 -63 336 -73 660 -74 310 0 370 5 595 52 535 111 1045 392 1455 803 122 121 250 273 275 326 19 41 19 137 0 174 -41 79 -309 363 -465 492 -447 370 -946 591 -1479 653 -113 14 -422 18 -536 8z m395 -428 c171 -34 330 -124 456 -258 112 -119 167 -219 211 -378 27 -96 24 -300 -5 -401 -72 -255 -236 -447 -474 -557 -132 -62 -201 -76 -368 -76 -167 0 -236 14 -368 76 -213 98 -373 271 -451 485 -162 444 86 934 547 1084 153 49 292 57 452 25z m909 -232 c222 -123 408 -262 593 -441 76 -74 138 -139 138 -144 0 -16 -233 -242 -330 -319 -155 -123 -309 -223 -461 -299 l-81 -41 32 46 c18 26 49 83 70 128 143 306 141 649 -6 957 -25 52 -61 116 -79 142 l-34 47 45 -20 c26 -10 76 -36 113 -56z m-2057 25 c-40 -58 -105 -190 -130 -263 -110 -324 -59 -707 132 -981 25 -35 42 -64 37 -64 -19 0 -241 119 -326 174 -188 122 -406 314 -532 468 l-58 71 108 103 c185 178 428 349 672 473 66 33 121 60 123 61 2 0 -10 -19 -26 -42z\"\/><path d=\"M2375 1950 c-198 -44 -350 -190 -395 -379 -18 -76 -8 -221 19 -290 114 -284 457 -406 731 -260 98 52 188 154 231 260 27 69 37 214 19 290 -38 163 -166 304 -326 360 -67 23 -215 33 -279 19z\"\/><\/g><\/svg><\/i> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" alt=\"Loading\" src=\"https:\/\/mailsafi.com\/blog\/wp-content\/plugins\/page-views-count\/ajax-loader-2x.gif\" border=0 \/><\/p><div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>First things first. What is ransomware? 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What is it? | MailSafi<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"What is ransomware? Learn what it is, what to expect if your computer is infected by ransomware, how to prevent it, and much more!\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/mailsafi.com\/blog\/ransomware-what-is-it\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Ransomware: The growing online endemic. What is it? | MailSafi\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"What is ransomware? 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