Ransomware: The Evolution of Attacks in the Contemporary and Their Challenges for Digital Security

Abstract

Ransomware attacks can be devastating for companies and individuals, causing data loss, downtime, recovery costs, and even reputation damage. Nowadays, Ransomware has become one of the most dangerous and widespread cyber threats. Criminals employ various techniques to infect computers and networks, including phishing emails, malicious software downloads, vulnerabilities in operating systems and applications, among others. Despite the development of prevention strategies, criminals utilizing Ransomware are constantly devising new tactics and techniques. Moreover, there are numerous legislative and practical limitations in locating and punishing these perpetrators. This study employed a bibliographic research methodology to identify the types of Ransomware targeting companies. The results included the identification of key types of Ransomware, such as Crypto malware, Locker, and Scareware, along with a framework for their identification. The theoretical contribution lies in presenting the attack methods of the main types of Ransomware. The practical contribution aims to raise awareness among managers and information security professionals about these attack methods.