Kaspersky Lab writes:
Computer users in many countries are increasingly falling victim to so-called encryption malware – programs that encrypt important data on infected computers and then demand a ransom to decrypt it. In 2014, over 7 million attempts to carry out such attacks were made against Kaspersky Lab users alone. Kaspersky Lab experts have prepared an overview of the evolution of encryption malware, as well as advice on how to avoid being affected by this threat.
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Cybercriminals prefer to be paid in the Bitcoin cryptocurrency, which offers them a sufficiently high level of anonymity. At the same time, it is common for attackers to specify their rates in real-world currencies, such as US dollars, euros or rubles. The cost of decrypting data for home users starts at 1000 rubles (about $15) but can be as high as several hundred dollars. If a corporate computer is infected, the attackers’ demands increase five-fold. Cybercriminals are known to have demanded ransoms as high as 5000 euros to decrypt files. Sadly, companies that have lost their data often prefer to pay up rather than lose important information. It comes as no surprise, therefore, that businesses are a prime target for cybercriminals who use encryption malware to make money.
Read more on Kaspersky Lab.
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