Ransomware has become a truly difficult nut to crack these past few years. A lot of business owners are advised to back up their data because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up allowing them to ignore ransomware even if it encrypts sensitive data since they will have a back up to rely on. However, 10% of ransomware victims still pay the demanded sum, and that could end up making things even worse than might have been the case otherwise.
With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that a large chunk of the proceeds that malicious actors obtain from ransomware attacks that they are taking part in tend to go towards funding the next round of attacks. Hence, it would be fair to assume that paying the ransom is only contributing to the further rise of these attacks, since they add to the pool that malicious actors use to pay for their dangerous activities.
This is one of the many reasons why businesses are recommended not to pay the ransom. In spite of the fact that this is the case, many of them do, and they often have to end up paying even more with all things having been considered and taken into account. The malicious actors behind the ransomware attack will start to see the victim as someone that they can easily take advantage of, and that will entice them into conducting repeated attacks against them in the future.
What’s more, paying the ransom does not always mean that you will get your data back. There is nothing preventing the malicious actors from simply wiping the database clean. Even if the data is returned, that might just be so that the ransomware attackers can recircle back to the victim. The thinking here is that if the victim paid once, they will most likely be willing to pay again. Businesses should therefore try to focus more on building a robust infrastructure that can protect them from such attacks in the first place.
Read next: Client-Side Encryption Up For Grabs In Gmail And Google Calendar
With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that a large chunk of the proceeds that malicious actors obtain from ransomware attacks that they are taking part in tend to go towards funding the next round of attacks. Hence, it would be fair to assume that paying the ransom is only contributing to the further rise of these attacks, since they add to the pool that malicious actors use to pay for their dangerous activities.
This is one of the many reasons why businesses are recommended not to pay the ransom. In spite of the fact that this is the case, many of them do, and they often have to end up paying even more with all things having been considered and taken into account. The malicious actors behind the ransomware attack will start to see the victim as someone that they can easily take advantage of, and that will entice them into conducting repeated attacks against them in the future.
What’s more, paying the ransom does not always mean that you will get your data back. There is nothing preventing the malicious actors from simply wiping the database clean. Even if the data is returned, that might just be so that the ransomware attackers can recircle back to the victim. The thinking here is that if the victim paid once, they will most likely be willing to pay again. Businesses should therefore try to focus more on building a robust infrastructure that can protect them from such attacks in the first place.
Read next: Client-Side Encryption Up For Grabs In Gmail And Google Calendar