With ransomware, the victim’s system is held hostage until they agree to pay a ransom to the attacker. After the payment has been sent, the attacker then provides instructions regarding how to regain control of the computer. The name 'ransomware' is appropriate because the malware demands a ransom from the victim.
In a ransomware attack, the target computer downloads ransomware, either from a website or from within an email attachment. The malware is written to exploit vulnerabilities that have not been addressed by either the system’s manufacturer or the IT team. The ransomware then encrypts the target's computer. Ransomware can be used to attack multiple parties by denying access to either several computers or a central server essential to business operations.
Affecting multiple computers is often accomplished by not initiating systems captivation until days or even weeks after the malware's initial penetration. The malware can send AUTORUN files that go from one system to another via the internal network or USB drives that connect to multiple computers. Then, when the attacker initiates the encryption, it works on all the infected systems simultaneously.
In some cases, ransomware authors design the code to evade traditional antivirus software. It is therefore important for users to remain vigilant regarding which sites they visit and which links they click. You can also prevent many ransomware attacks by using a next-generation firewall (NGFW) that can perform deep data packet inspections using artificial intelligence (AI) that looks for the characteristics of ransomware.