Sep 13, 2019
Ritwik Gupta and Elli Kanal explain what ransomware is, what it can
do to your computer, and how you can help prevent infections using
the concept of cyber hygiene. Ransomware is a type of malware that
encrypts the files on a computer, preventing the user from
accessing them. The attacker then extorts the user by requesting a
ransom in exchange for the key that unlocks the files.
In this Cyber Talk episode, Ritwik Gupta and Elli Kanal explain how
ransomware can infect a computer, and they discuss examples of how
criminals have targeted single computers as well as large systems
to explain what can happen when ransomware infects a system. To
prevent ransomware attacks, Gupta and Kanal explain the concept of
“cyber hygiene,” which refers to a set of basic practices that
users can perform to decrease the risk of getting infected by
malware. They stress the importance of developing an awareness for
cyber hygiene, especially after the advent of the Internet of
things, which has increased the number of devices that are
susceptible to infection, including phones, cars, refrigerators,
and more.