Impact of Ransomware in Society
Ransom ware is software also termed as the malware which restricts the users to use their data either on the computer, smartphone or tablet. Attackers of the ransom ware are basically in search of the ways to extort the money from the clients until the ransom is paid. The attackers hold the data of the user and often threaten them to pay the money otherwise they will delete the entire database of the user [1]. The main objective of this report is to deliver the analysis of the ransom ware system, its working and the mechanism of how it operates and the various types of ransom ware are analysed below. Moreover, there are many potential threats arising from the ransom ware that create a greater impact on the society.
Ransom ware is a threatening malware which definitely impacts the society as a whole. The impact is so heavy that the entire database can be crashed if the ransom is not paid by the owner of the data. On the contrary if the money is paid on time the files of the user are accessible to him. The service sector is most affected by the attacks of the ransom ware. Businesses keep a large volume of the data and typically integrate the internet services to expose the infections. In Australia last year the cost of cybercrime costs around $1.2 billion in the past year [2]. The types of the payment mode are through the Bit coin or via the service like the MoneyGram. This emboldens the hackers, encouraging them to find more and more unscrupulous ways to make money.
There are certain variants of the ransom ware in the information industries which are as follows
- Cerber ransom ware
- Crypto wall ransom ware
- Locker ransom ware
- Mac ransom ware
- Crypto ransom ware
Cerber is a type of ransom ware that infiltrates the computer of the user and encrypts various data and the files including different formats such as jpg, doc, avi and lot more. Cerber basically demands the ransom payment to decode the files [3]. The latest version now utilises the red colour for the ransom note to warn the victim with regards to the encrypted data. It works additionally especially when the human is not linked with the web associations. The ransom ware creates and email and sends it to the client in return of the monetary items [14].
Crypto wall ransom ware is a destructive kind of ransom ware that keeps the data of the user as the hostage with the RSA-2048 decryption. The cyber criminals behind CryptoDefense initiated an improved version called crypto wall. This ransom ware was set up after the crypto locker. This sort of payoff is utilised to decrypt the information so that the victim can give the cash in return to the access to the vital database [4].
Variants of Ransomware
The main purpose of this type of ransom is to hit the PC and its framework in order to gain the monetary advantage while recovering and re-establishing the data. The locker ransom ware Trojan is infused in the computer system by the con artists. The desktop becomes unsecured through the accounts and spam and email message specifically. The locker ransom ware seems to be an independent malware and does not belong to a particular group that creates a large amount of threat.
Ransom ware is a type of software that takes out the data from the computer and the user wants to earn money through this process. Although the flow of this kind of malware is slow yet there is a possibility in future to attack different variants. It has been predicted that the ransom ware costs a roundabout $6 trillion in damages annually by 2021 [8].
The crypto ransom ware was propagated in the year 2014, which was believed to have targeted the computers running on the Microsoft Windows. The malware ultimately displays the message which offered to decrypt the data if payment is made within the deadline otherwise vice versa. Crypto ransom ware uses the human information and through the web of thing it incorporates the same into the PC framework. Most of the individuals are carrying their most confidential data on various applications; even the bank account numbers are being shared.
There are various methodologies which are used to hack the computer of the users; however the simplest and the common method is to revert through the spam and the fraud e mails, so when the user clicks on to the given spam links the data of the user is paused for few moments and in the meanwhile the ransom ware hacks the data [6].
There are several programs and campaigns that provide the training to the hackers on how to catch the data and many other cyber-attacks are also accelerating in number. There are numerous types of ransom that can exploit the security holes [12].
There is a particular algorithm which is used by the hacker and via which they go into the system of the computer and hacks all the confidential data and the information. Once they enter into the system of the user they tend to change the password and lock the entire file and the personal data and the hackers contact with the victims online only.
Mechanism of Ransomware
Following is the procedure of how the ransom ware works apparently.
- The ransom ware chose some computers to hack and attacks those computers rigorously.
- The malicious software generated the mathematical formula to hack the data form computer system and to squeeze out all the confidential data and files.
- Once the data has been collected by the ransom ware the company blocks the file of the victim and blocks down all the data from the computer of the user.
- At last the victim of the ransom ware has to pay some handsome amount in order to get back the data back [7].
Most ransom ware infections occur when the victim clicks on a link in an email or particularly opens the attachment that uncovers the virus. In the early days the emails were not a major medium to communicate to the customer. Cybercriminals today have major tools that are to be discarded and the mails and telephonic conversation seems to be normal [9].
The majority of the ransom ware is established through the actions of the user. For example unintentionally or intentionally the user clicks on the unfavourable links and the spam emails that visits or compromises the website.
While almost all the ransom ware is infected by the opportunistic and infected virus and hits the sensitivity point of the targeted victim. According to FBI these instances are being referred to as the extortion of the ransom ware.
Apple Macintosh computers have a reputation of the being safe and secure, but that really does not confirm as to that these users are purely immune to ransom ware. The users of the Mac are currently more in attention of the ransom ware attacks as it also suggest the income parity power and the ransom amount will be generally high [10].
Locky is the ransom ware malware which was originally found in the year 2016. It is posted by the email which is usually attached in the form of the doc file and inside the file; the data in encrypted and malicious macros is infused. This malware created a huge impact on the society and the web site contains the information which demanded the monetary charge of 0.5 to 1 bit coin which ranged between $9000 and $10000 [5]. Under this malware there was a decryption key which was controlled by the hackers and the remote services were also capture which is controlled by them. The victims on the contrary are given pressure to pay the money. On June 2016, Necurs was released with a new version of Locky and a different component inclusive of the detection techniques. Locky uses the RSA-2048 plus AES-128 cipher the ECB mode and to encrypt the files. Locky is reported to have been sent to half million users in the February 16, 2016. Despite the newer version, Google trend data depicts that it took around 5 months to drop the infections from the file [11].
Since ransom ware is a critical component and it needs to be critically evaluated and analysed.
For example the security policies shall be increased on a higher level, introduction of the coding process so that the hackers cannot hack the files, limit the operation of the PC and the framework, consistently upgrading the existing programs, the follow up of the strong separating process and blocking of unknown connections and digging out the spam messages. All these ideas and thoughts are useful in case of mitigating the ransom attack through proactive planning and the filtering [4].
Conclusion
There are different procedures through which the issues that can create a hassle can be reduced in the number. The assault created by the ransom is of such a concern that it not only affects the computer and the user but also affects the entire confidential data of the business. Moreover it is recommended to the user to encrypt the data and use the antivirus data in order to safeguard the data and files.
References
- McKnight, (2017). The Evolution of Ransomware and Breadth of its Economic Impact(Doctoral dissertation, Utica College). United States: John and Wiley
- , Mohurle, & M Patil, (2017). A brief study of wannacry threat: Ransomware attack 2017. International Journal of Advanced Research in Computer Science, 8(5).
- A, Gallo, Ransomware. [S.l.]: O’Reilly Media, Inc., 2016.
- Fruhlinger, “What is ransomware? How it works and how to remove it”, CSO Online, 2018. [Online]. Available: https://www.csoonline.com/article/3236183/ransomware/what-is-ransomware-how-it-works-and-how-to-remove-it.html. [Accessed: 24- Aug- 2018].
- “Ransomware – What Is It & How To Remove It”, Malwarebytes, 2018. [Online]. Available: https://www.malwarebytes.com/ransomware/. [Accessed: 24- Aug- 2018].
- Mac Ransomware is Real | How to Prevent it & Remove it”, Avg.com, 2018. [Online]. Available: https://www.avg.com/en/signal/mac-ransomware-remove-protect. [Accessed: 25- Aug- 2018].
- Fruhlinger, “What is ransomware? How it works and how to remove it”, CSO Online, 2018. [Online]. Available: https://www.csoonline.com/article/3236183/ransomware/what-is-ransomware-how-it-works-and-how-to-remove-it.html. [Accessed: 25- Aug- 2018].
- Owens, “‘Ransomware’ cyberattack highlights vulnerability of universities”, Nature, 2016.
- Choudhary, “Ransomware on Android devices”, Forensic Science & Addiction Research, vol. 2, no. 2, 2018.
- Jung and Y., Won, “Ransomware detection method based on context-aware entropy analysis.” Soft Computing, vol. 12, pp.1-10, 2018.
- Kamat and A.S., Gautam, “Recent Trends in the Era of Cybercrime and the Measures to Control Them.” In Handbook of e-Business Security, vol. 18, pp. 243-258, 2018.
- , Wirth, “The Times They Are a-Changin’: Part One.” Biomedical instrumentation & technology, vol. 52, no. 2, pp.148-152, 2018
- Kamat and A.S., Gautam, “Recent Trends in the Era of Cybercrime and the Measures to Control Them.” In Handbook of e-Business Security, vol. 18, pp. 243-258, 2018
- , Zimba, Z. Wang and H., Chen, “Multi-stage crypto ransomware attacks: A new emerging cyber threat to critical infrastructure and industrial control systems.” ICT Express, vol. 4, no. 1, pp.14-18, 2018.
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