ransomware and cryptocurrency

what is ransomware?

malware that infects your computer by encrypting your data

what does encrypting data mean?

‘locks’ your data, so that you need a code in order to access it

what do hackers generally do with your information if you don’t pay?

they will share your information online

what is the only way to get your data back from ransomware?

to pay the fee or restore from a backup

how do ransomware hackers often gain access to a machine?

through email attachments

how do ransomware attacks occur (7 ‘steps’)?

1. hacker gains access to a machine inside the organization

2. they “watch” what’s going on in the network and log every keystroke

3. they gain access to administrator credentials via key-logging

4. they use admin credentials to infect databases, backups, servers, desktops, etc.

5. hackers leave a not on a server or machine giving an email to contact

6. users email the hackers to negotiate a price

7. once the price is paid, the hackers give a “key” to unlock all of the files

what was the JBS S.A. attack?

a multi-national meat manufacturer that was attacked with ransomware

they were shut down for two days, impacting meat supply across the country

they paid $11 million to resolve the attack

what happened in the Colonial Attack?

a Russian group hacked the pipeline by a single leaked password

had to shut down operations for several days, costing millions of dollars

the company paid the $4.4 million ransom because they didn’t know the extent of the intrusion

the FBI tracked the payment in bitcoin and recovered part of it

what is cryptocurrency?

a form of payment that can be exchanged online for goods and services

(think of this currency as arcade tokens or casino chips)

why is cryptocurrency extremely volatile?

because you have to trade actual currency to access the cryptocurrency and vice versa

how many different types of cryptocurrencies are there?

more than 10,000 types

why is cryptocurrency so popular?

because of its anonymity and the fact that it has no requirements for you to get it

what are the most popular types of cryptocurrency?

Bitcoin

Ethereal

XRP

Tether

what was Bitcoin created as?

a digital payment system

what is the largest form of cryptocurrency?

Bitcoin

where does Bitcoin take place?

on a public ledger

how are transactions of Bitcoin verified?

by computing power

how do you access Bitcoin?

by using a wallet — could be a third-party web app, QR codes, etc.

how can you prevent ransomware attacks?

attacks cannot be fully prevented, but proper security protocols are key

• backups are the best way to stop an attack — simply restore after attack is over

• don’t use the same passwords for accounts