A lecture on 'Ransomware : Prevention and Removal' was delivered by Dr. Mayank Singh, University of KwaZulu- Natal, Durban, South Africa. Dr Singh shared that Ransomware is a type of malware that attempts to extort money from a computer user by infecting and taking control of the victim's machine, or the files or documents stored on it. Typically, the ransomware will either 'lock' the computer to prevent normal usage or encrypt the documents and files on it to prevent access to the saved data. Ransomware infections work similarly to other viruses and 35% of victims are notified of the attack within 24 hours. he added that 128-bit or 265-bit encryption is very strong and Encryption ransomware, Lock screen ransomware and Master Boot Record ( MBR ) are the three types of ransomware. In Encryption ransomware files are deleted once they are encrypted and there is a text file in the same folder as the now- inaccessible files with instructions for payment. You may see a lock screen but not all variants show one. Instead, you may only notice a problem when you attempt to open your files. This type is also called 'file encryptor' ransomware. Lock Screen Ransomware is also called ' WinLocker' ransomware that locks the screen and demands for payment. Master Boot Record ( MBR ) is a section of the computer's hard drive that allows the operating system to boot up. MBR ransomware changes the computer's MBR so the normal boot process is interrupted. Apart from these there are many other types of ransomware like leakware, scareware and RaaS stand for Ransomware as a service.
He shared that IoT devices, social media and utility infrastructure are the future predicted trends in ransomware attacks. IoT devices will become a more prominent attack vector while social media networks beef up internal security, tainted links targeting users will increase in numbers. Utility infrastructure is critical infrastructure, will be targeted more, in efforts to have a better chance of ransom payment. 20% of ransomware victims are small to mid- sized businesses whereas 50 % of healthcare IT professionals believe their industry simply isn't ready to handle the threat of ransomware. He averred that 90% of all financial institutions have experienced ransomware in the past year.