Ransomware, a method of electronically attacking corporations
and individuals by holding their data hostage, has gained massive
popularity amongst hackers in the last several years. Ransomware is
the first form of malware to present the threats of both the
destruction of important data and the economic harm the loss of
that data can create. Ransomware attacks will continue to increase
in scope and severity in years to come, necessitating continuous
vigilance.
In essence, ransomware acts by taking data that is of value to
an entity but not deleting it. The ransomware acts as a figurative
glass wall, allowing the owner of the data to physically possess
that data but not access it. This is accomplished by implanting a
virus on the owner's hard drive, usually by means of an
infected link in an email or other innocuous-looking document. Once
the link is clicked, the ransomware works by encrypting the entire
storage system. The hackers then threaten to destroy the
