By Aamir Lakhani | May 31, 2022
Ransomware is one of the top threats facing organizations and individuals today. In fact, according to a recent survey, 85% of organizations are more worried about a ransomware attack than any other cyber threat. By simply clicking a link or downloading a malicious file, anyone can unwittingly initiate a ransomware attack. And while often someone may feel desperate and want to pay the ransom or a ransomware settlement to re-gain access to critical data, it is a decision that should be considered very carefully.
Just like as a child, when kids steal a bookbag and demand lunch money to get it back, cybercriminals are doing the same thing to organizations after successfully deploying ransomware and taking sensitive data hostage by encrypting it. Unfortunately, in many cases doing more than just ransom.
Obviously, the stakes are higher for an organization that’s attacked. An organization’s survival may depend on getting the encryption key from the cybercriminals to decrypt and get back their stolen data. But the dilemmas seem surprisingly similar for both set of victims.