Should You Pay a Ransomware Attack? 

Ransomware continues to disrupt public organizations, businesses, and private computer users, and the trend isn’t showing signs of stopping. Over the past several years, malicious actors have attacked thousands of targets, and by one estimate, ransomware was involved in 25% ...
April 14, 2023

Paying a Ransomware Ransom Is (Usually) Illegal

If you’re hit with a ransomware attack, you’re facing an unpleasant choice: Pay the ransom to restore your files, contact a professional ransomware recovery company, or lose important data forever. However, in the United States, paying the ransom may be...
April 13, 2023

ESXiArgs VMware Ransomware: An Overview

ESXiArgs is ransomware that encrypts VMware ESXi virtual machines and demands payments via cryptocurrency. The attackers reveal the infection with a ransom message demanding payment. Here’s a typical example of a ransom: Security Alert!!!We hacked your company successfully All...
February 10, 2023

Russian Hackers Weaponize Ransomware in War with Ukraine

According to the Computer Emergency Response Team of Ukraine (CERT-UA), Russian hackers have used a new malware strain, “Somnia,” to disable information technology (IT) systems in Ukraine. While the government of Ukraine has not confirmed the success of the attack,...
November 14, 2022

Alleged Member of LockBit Ransomware Group Arrested in Canada

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has announced the arrest of Mikhail Vasliev, 33, for suspected involvement in the global LockBit ransomware attacks that have targeted hundreds of organizations over the past two years. Vasliev, who is a Russian-Canadian citizen according...
November 11, 2022

LockBit Ransomware: Is Data Recovery Possible?

LockBit was first identified in September 2019. At the time, it was known as ABCD ransomware due to its method of attack: The ransomware would encrypt files and change their file extensions to .abcd. Newer versions of LockBit change the...
November 9, 2022

Ransomware Investigation Services

In 2022, researchers recorded over 623 million ransomware attacks worldwide. That number increased significantly from 2021 — and may be much higher, since many businesses choose not to report infections. When a ransomware attack occurs, your organization needs to respond...
October 19, 2022

How to Protect Your Phone from Ransomware

Most ransomware attacks target desktop computers, servers, and high-value storage networks — but in recent years, a growing number of attacks have targeted smartphones and other mobile devices. Below, we’ll look at a few examples of how mobile ransomware works....
April 8, 2022

How to Stop Locky Ransomware: Prevention, Decryption, and Recovery

Locky is the common name for a ransomware variant that first appeared in 2016. The first version of Locky was distributed by the Necurs botnet; subsequent versions have been introduced by Necurs and other distribution groups. Typically, the ransomware is...
March 9, 2022

Ransomware Attack Data Recovery: 4 Factors to Consider

Ransomware attacks continue to threaten businesses, local governments, and nonprofit organizations — and the trend is unlikely to change anytime soon. According to public records, more than 400 city and county governments have sustained ransomware attacks since 2014. Private...
February 23, 2022