Expect ransomware to grow more aggressive in the coming years, including higher ransom payments and attempts to go beyond attacking data by shutting down entire computer systems to utilities or factories.
“I see no reason for ransomware to stop,” argued Neil Jenkins, the director of the US Department of Homeland Security enterprise performance management office. “It’s shown to be effective.”
At the recent RSA cybersecurity conference, experts gave a grim outlook on the future of ransomware, which they fear will spread. Through the attacks, cybercriminals have managed to rake in $1 billion in 2016, according to one estimate. The computer infections work by first targeting the victim’s data, and encrypting it. The ransomware will then threaten to delete the data, unless a payment, usually in bitcoin, is made.
However, a…
