Cyber Security: Types of Ransomware Attacks

Ransomware is malware that puts a person or organization in a difficult position by encrypting their data and demanding payment to decrypt it. There are many different types of ransomware attacks, but we can split them into two main types: locker ransomware and crypto-ransomware.

Locker ransomware: is the less common of the two types of ransomware. This type of attack involves locking the user out of their device or account. The attacker will demand ransom to unlock the device or account. This type of attack is often used against public organizations, such as hospitals, as it can cause significant disruption.

Crypto ransomware: is the more common type of ransomware. This type of attack involves encrypting the user’s data, making it inaccessible. The attacker will usually demand a ransom to decrypt the data. This type of attack is often used against individuals, as it can be very distressing to have personal data, such as family photos, encrypted.

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Types of ransomware attacks

Although ransomware attacks can be categorized under Locker and Crypto types, various ransomware attacks are being carried out on unsuspecting businesses worldwide each day.

Here’s an overview of the types of attacks that have occurred over the past nine years.

Locky: is a type of crypto-ransomware that was first seen in February 2016. It is believed to be distributed through spam emails. The email will usually contain an attachment, which will download and encrypt the user’s data.

Petya: is a type of crypto-ransomware that was first seen in March 2016. It is believed to be distributed through malicious emails that link to a website that hosts the malware. When the link is clicked, the malware will encrypt the user’s data.

There have been many high-profile ransomware attacks in recent years, including the WannaCry attack in May 2017 and the Petya attack in June 2017.

The WannaCry attack: was a global ransomware attack that affected over 200,000 computers in 150 countries. The attack used the WannaCry ransomware, which encrypts the user’s data and demands a ransom to decrypt it.

The Petya attack: The attack used the Petya ransomware, which encrypts the user’s data and demands a ransom to decrypt it.

Bad Rabbit is a type of crypto-ransomware first seen in October 2017. It is believed to be distributed through malicious websites that masquerade as legitimate websites, such as news websites. When the website is visited, the malware will encrypt the user’s data.

Jigsaw:  a type of locker ransomware first seen in April 2016. It is distributed through spam emails. It will lock the user’s screen and display a ransom demand when executed. The email will contain an attachment, such as a PDF or Word document, containing an embedded macro.

Samas (Samsam): is a type of crypto-ransomware that was first seen in December 2015. It is believed to be distributed through malicious emails that link to a website that hosts the malware.

Locker ransomware: is a type of ransomware that locks the user out of their device or account. The attacker will usually demand a ransom to unlock the device or account. This type of attack is often used against public organizations, such as hospitals, as it can cause significant disruption.

Crypto-ransomware: is a type of ransomware that encrypts the user’s data. This type of attack is often used against individuals, as it can be very distressing to have personal data, such as family photos, encrypted. The attacker will usually demand a ransom to decrypt the data.

KeRanger:  is a type of crypto-ransomware that was first seen in March 2016. It is believed to be distributed through malicious emails that link to a website that hosts the malware. The malware encrypts the user’s data when they click on the link.

Ransomware attacks can have a significant impact on the victim.

In some cases, the ransom demanded may be too high for the victim to afford, or the data may be so crucial to the victim that they are willing to pay the ransom.

In other cases, the victim may not have a backup of their data and will be unable to recover it if they do not pay the ransom. Ransomware attacks can be very costly regarding the ransom demanded and the impact on the victim’s business or personal life.