What is Ransomware?

Ransomware is a type of malware (a virus) which either limits or prevents people from accessing their systems because their screen or files have been locked by someone who is demanding a ransom payment. Modern ransomware such as crypto-ransomware encrypts file types in order to force a user to pay a ransom via Bitcoin or another online currency method.

Once a ransom has been paid, however, the victim may or be provided with a decryption key to unlock their data. Ransomware is a serious threat to anyone who conducts business over the internet, has servers or networks, or stores their information in the Cloud.