TERM:
Ransomware

Definition:

Ransomware is a type of malicious software from cryptovirology that threatens to publish the victim’s data or perpetually block access to it unless a ransom is paid. While some simple ransomware may lock the system in a way which is not difficult for a knowledgeable person to reverse, more advanced malware uses a technique called cryptoviral extortion in which it encrypts the victim’s les, making them inaccessible, and demands a ransom payment to decrypt them.

Ransomware attacks are typically carried out using a Trojan that is disguised as a legitimate le that the user is tricked into down­loading or opening when it arrives as an email attachment.