Only Half of Ransomware Payments Resulted in Decrypted Files

A report from a leading research firm found a startling statistic for 2017: only half of ransomware victims who paid a ransom were able to successfully decrypt their files. These findings and others in the report offer even more incentive...
March 21, 2018

SamSam Ransomware Infects CDOT

SamSam ransomware has infected thousands of computers at the Colorado Department of Transportation. Over 2,000 employee computers were shut down to stop the spread of the malware after it was discovered on Feb. 21, and systems are still not back...
March 19, 2018

Malware Report Sheds Light on Underreported Cybercrimes

A New York Times report revealed that law enforcement investigating cybercrimes can face many challenges including incomplete data, outdated statistical categories, and a lack of funding for cyber divisions. These problems hinder the solving of not just digital crimes, but...
February 7, 2018

Indiana Hospital Pays $55,000 to Get Rid of Ransomware

On January 11, Hancock Health became the latest medical center to fall victim to a ransomware attack. The Greenfield, Indiana hospital says its files were backed up, but opted to pay the $55,000 ransom anyway to more quickly restore its...
January 24, 2018

Patches for Meltdown and Spectre Fix Flaws But Cause Slowdowns

Intel began the new year with the embarrassing announcement that researchers discovered vulnerabilities built into most of the processors the company has built in the last two decades. The security flaws affect nearly everyone and could allow a hacker to...
January 16, 2018

Cybersecurity Still a Major Issue for the Internet of Things

Early last year, we warned that the Internet of Things (IoT) had major security vulnerabilities, and it was a matter of time until hackers targeted it. And while smart devices have largely evaded ransomware attacks (though some IoT devices were...
January 11, 2018

Schools, Non-Profits, Local Governments, and Medical Centers Hit by Ransomware in 2017

Three major ransomware attacks dominated the headlines in 2017, but there were also dozens of smaller incidents that paralyzed organizations and businesses throughout the year. Because many cyber attacks go unreported, we can only guess at the full extent of...
January 10, 2018

2017 Ransomware Recap

Ransomware became a household name in 2016. As hackers extorted ransoms from hospitals, universities, and other groups in return for files, the public became aware of how vulnerable devices are in this connected age. Even with the awareness of this...
January 4, 2018

Datarecovery.com Offers Free Services to Personal Computer Users Affected By Wildfires

Thousands of firefighters are working around the clock to control California’s historically large wildfires. Officials predict that the largest of the blazes — the Thomas Fire —  will burn into January and become the most destructive California wildfire ever. Natural...
December 18, 2017

Holiday Sale on Ransomware

“One-time payment at the cheap price of $40 for a lifetime subscription. Buy it now! You’ll never get another offer like this.” It sounds straight from an infomercial or a magazine ad, but this sales pitch (with corrected grammar) came...
December 5, 2017