The most malicious ransomware demanding crypto to watch out for
Cyberattacks have become very common these days. Not only big companies but even individuals are at risk as attackers demand money for not exposing private data. You will be surprised to know that several companies ended up paying millions of dollars in the last year to have their important files secured after it was taken away by malware attackers. Those who use various digital payment options need to be more careful while using any platform as these fraudsters are technically smart and able to hack a device through which they can move to the secured data of the users and play with it as they wish.
During this coronavirus pandemic, things are taking a new turn as most companies are not in a position to pay the ransom. In this situation, attackers are getting smart and demanding payment in bitcoins and other cryptocurrencies to avoid detection. As many individuals have started working from home, it has also become difficult for attackers to get hold of big company data. For the authorities also it is not that easy to nab such scammers as in most cases they are not local. They operate from other states or countries and have various ways to penetrate the system, and hence for experts also it proves tough to keep them at bay.
Let us check some of the most notorious ransomware demanding cryptocurrency payments in recent times.
WastedLocker ransomware
This was created by the infamous Evil Corp that has been active in cybercrimes for a decade. They are now targeting database services and cloud services by disrupting backup applications in the system. In this situation, the victims will not be able to recover their files even while having a backup in the system. The only way to prevent this situation is to have an offline backup of your critical data. The team was earlier involved in various large crimes involving major financial institutions.
DoppelPaymer ransomware
They target the important files and encrypt them in your system. Later they demand ransom to decrypt the files. This was developed by INDRIK SPIDER, and they were recently involved in an attack against the City of Torrance in the United States. They managed to steal about 200 GB of data and demanded 100 bitcoin in ransom. Apart from that, they had also attacked the information technology system of Alabama and asked for $300000 bitcoin. The city’s email system was brought down due to this attack.
Dridex ransomware
This malware is notorious for stealing bank credentials of victims, and they usually target the Microsoft Word macros or the entire Windows system. The problem with this malware is that it can be easily executed through email attacks, and many people become vulnerable to such attacks during the pandemic as they work from home and use personal computers that are not secured with firewalls and other safety measures.
Ryuk malware
This is well known for targeting hospitals and healthcare centers. They use spam emails to target computers and steal important data. Many attackers have successfully used this malware to extract bitcoins as ransom from various hospitals.
These are some of the most notorious malware programs that are demanding bitcoins and other cryptocurrencies as ransom in recent months. The trend is likely to continue as attackers find it easy to handle bitcoins and other cryptocurrencies. They cannot be traced in this way, and this offers them complete protection in the long run. However, in recent weeks, it is noticed that many victims are not paying the ransom, and this has forced the attackers to auction such data in the market.