Even though we have been harping on the threat of ransomware for some time now, it looks like this type of malicious attack will not be diminishing anytime soon. In fact, the threat has never been more severe than it is today. Even though most attacks are directed at hospitals right now, these attacks serve as a prototype that will help shape the future of malware.
Ransomware Is Still in The Early Stages
One thing is certain: ransomware developers are working hard to stay one step ahead of security researchers these days. Albeit the number of infections that can be decrypted free of charge is on the rise, so are the different number of malware variants. In fact, we covered a lot of different variants in the past on this website, yet new versions keep popping up now and then.
As some people may have expected, ransomware is doing a lot of damage in the consumer field. But enterprises are being hit by these attacks as well, even though they have plenty of countermeasures. Hospitals are the primary target for malware attacks right now, though, with nearly nine in ten attempts targeting the healthcare industry.
But that is not even the most worrying part, as ransomware keeps evolving. Granted, there are some types which are far more bark bite, which is something to be incredibly thankful for. But some of the older variants, such as CryptoWall, is still doing a lot of damage today despite being in existence for several years.
Some security experts feel the current ransomware trend is only the first step along the way, though. In fact, it is not unlikely these are all just probing efforts to test computer security and how it can be exploited in a profitable manner. Now that internet criminals have a basic understanding of how they can take advantage of technological and human weaknesses, the next stage can begin.
How that future will look is anybody’s guess right now. But during the recent Black Hat conference in Las Vegas, Gunter Ollmann mentioned how these types of ransomware are only a template for the future of malware distribution.The battle ahead will be a very long one, and the war against malicious software is far from over.
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