Ransomware .. what and how?

What is ransomware and how does an attack happen?

What is ransomware?
Ramsomware is a particularly nasty type of malware. It is the most widespread and damaging threat that internet users face.

How does an attack happen?
There are two main ways that a Ransomware attack starts are by email with a malicious attachment, or by a visit to a compromised, often legitimate/mainstream website.

Email – worryingly malicious emails often appear genuine. When opened a zip file (for example) may appear to contain an ordinary file that you may recognise (ie. text, word, excel). However, if opened the ransomware automatically downloads and installs on your computer. The rule of thumb is, if you’re unsure who the email is from, or it looks unusual in any way, don’t open it.
Malicious websites – the second most common way to get infected is through a website visit that has been compromised and infected. Any website can be temporarily compromised.