Ransomware Targeting WordPress – An Emerging Threat This entry was posted in Wordfence, WordPress Security by Mark Maunder
A Quick Introduction to Ransomware Ransomware is malicious software that an attacker installs on your computer or on your server. They use an exploit to gain access to your system, and then the ransomware executes, usually automatically. Ransomware encrypts all your files using strong unbreakable encryption. The attackers then ask you to pay them to decrypt your files. Usually payment is via bitcoin . Bitcoin gives the attackers a way to create an anonymous wallet into which the ransom can be paid. Ransomware has been around for a long time. It originally dates back to 1989 with the “ PC Cyborg trojan horse virus” that would extort its victims into sending $189 to a PO Box in Panama to get their files decrypted. The encryption on that virus was easily crackable. Ransomware today is growing fast. In 2017, 100 new ransomware variants were released into the wild, and there was a 36% year-over-year increase in ransomware attacks worldwide. The average ransomware demand increased 26