Crypto-ransomware (or filecoders) has been on the rise since at least 2013, when the notorious CryptoLocker appeared. Since then, cyber criminals have collected millions of US dollars by extorting money from victims in return for unlocking their data. In 2016, estimates based on FBI findings suggested that ransomware was set to become a $1-billion-a-year crime.
Cyber criminals’ earnings demonstrate the impact of this exponential trend and are the main reason why crypto-ransomware has become the malware of choice in many campaigns. It should not come as a surprise that most ransomware campaigns use exploit kits and socially engineered emails as their infection vector, which also contributes to their increased prevalence. In fact, according to the PhishMe service, “more than 97% of phishing emails delivered in 2016 contained ransomware…“
ESET has been monitoring the ransomware scene closely and responding to its rapid evolution. In 2016, there have been few days on which ESET researchers have not encountered a brand new ransomware family.
However, in spite of it being one of the most serious malware types in the wild, it is still just another type of malware. This means that ESET is fighting it as it does to any other malware, via multiple layers.
For full details on how ESET protects your data against ransomware and other precautionary tips click here to download (in PDF)