Ransomware represents an obnoxious hacking scourge affecting global computer networks. The vicious nature of holding airport, hospital, and other computer systems hostage seems inconceivable to many. In reality, the ransom hacker’s motivation is easy to understand. The hacker seeks financial gain. Forcing a company to pay a ransom in the hundreds of thousands of dollars represents an easy way to illicit wealth. Things aren’t so simple for hackers anymore, though. The effective “No More Ransom project” has stymied many attempts to appropriate funds. The project now celebrates its third anniversary by announcing it blocked hackers from scoring $108 million in ransom funds.
The project represents a collective effort on the part of several antivirus firms. Together, they provide 82 tools intended to deter and combat ransomware gangs. Since the gangs utilize various sophisticated tools, a multitude of tools becomes necessary to prevent them. While defeating every ransomware attack isn’t possible, the current $108 million statistic shows things are working.
Technology is never static, and continuing growth extends to ransomware developers. New and improved ransomware programs intend to overcome antivirus and other preventive tools. In a report by zdnet.com, the team at the No More Ransom project are preparing to deal with the situation. The team at the project currently is hard at work on developing vital decryption tools. If successful, the new tools could override the encryption elements the ransomware gangs rely upon. Details about the new tools are sparse as they should be. If details were to leak, then they ransomware hackers would be able to adjust. Obviously, that would not be of any benefit to people relying on the project’s protective capabilities.
Ransomware attacks aren’t going to go away no matter how many organizations emerge to stop the hackers. These organizations, however, do nullify many attacks and provide valuable pushback against hackers. Therefore, the value of these organizations is immense.
Dil Bole Oberoi
