Glossary · IT & systems
Ransomware
Extortion software that locks your files until you pay.
Ransomware is malicious software that locks your files and promises to release them only if you pay a ransom. From one moment to the next you can no longer reach your data, and a message appears demanding payment, usually in cryptocurrency.
The consequences are severe. Your work grinds to a halt, and even if you pay, there is no guarantee you will get everything back. Paying also keeps the attackers' business model going. For an SME, such an attack can make the difference between a difficult week and a threat to the company's survival.
The most important defence is preparation. Recent backups kept separate from your systems let you recover without paying. On top of that, updates, access managementDeciding who is allowed to use which data and systems. and alertness to fake messages reduce the chance of the software getting in at all.
