Ransomware encrypts files or systems and demands payment to restore access, often paired with data theft (“double extortion”).
Why It Matters
- Can halt hospitals, factories, and public services.
- Targets backups and cloud storage to block recovery.
- Costs include downtime, forensics, legal, and reputational damage.
Real-World Example
A ransomware attack on the Belastingdienst in Curacao (2025) made all services unavailable for a brief time. Another attack in 2017 made the Rotterdam harbor unavailable for shipping.
How to Reduce Risk
- 3-2-1 backups with offline/immutable copies; test restores.
- Patch, segment networks, and enforce least privilege.
- Deploy EDR/XDR and maintain a practiced incident response plan.
Ratings
- ⚠️ Risk: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- 🛠 Exploitation Uses: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- 💻 Technical Difficulty: ⭐⭐
