ransomware
noun
ran·som·ware
| \ ˈran(t)-səm-ˌwer
\
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Definition of ransomware
: malware that requires the victim to pay a ransom to access encrypted files
In September of 2013, security for small accounting offices changed forever with the appearance of a new class of threats called ransomware. … you open a file attached to an innocent-looking e-mail, and the program encrypts key files and drives so they cannot be accessed. The files are locked until you pay a ransom.— Dave Mcclure With ransomware, a hacker slips into a system, then puts encryption controls in place that locks users out. The hackers then demand money to "unlock" the data.— Elizabeth Millard Today's ransomware scammers often demand payment in bitcoin because the digital currency is easy to use, fast and provides a heightened anonymity for the scammers, according to the FBI warning.— Susan Tompor
Examples of ransomware in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Rader said the recent news about ransomware attacks on school districts and small towns is concerning for some of CABE’s members. — Slade Rand, courant.com, "With ransomware attacks spiking across the country, one Connecticut town plans to pay hackers $10K to get its data back," 31 Aug. 2019 University officials declined to say whether the situation was a ransomware attack, saying the matter is still under investigation. — Elizabeth Hernandez, The Denver Post, "A week after cyberattack, Regis University makes some progress to restore normalcy," 29 Aug. 2019 This has been a particularly brutal year for ransomware thus far. — Wired, "A Huge Ransomware Attack Messes With Texas," 20 Aug. 2019 In one high-profile dispute, snack food company Mondelez filed a $100 million lawsuit against its insurer Zurich for refusing to pay after the food company was hit by a ransomware strain known as NotPetya. — Ian Duncan, Washington Post, "As Florida cities use insurance to pay $1 million in ransoms to hackers, Baltimore and Maryland weigh getting covered," 6 July 2019 Also, Weaver points out, cryptocurrency is the preferred vehicle for ransomware. — Elizabeth Lopatto, The Verge, "Libra, explained," 26 June 2019 Cybersecurity experts estimate that criminals made more than $1 billion from ransomware in 2016, according to the F.B.I. — Alan Blinder And Nicole Perlroth, New York Times, "A Cyberattack Hobbles Atlanta, and Security Experts Shudder," 27 Mar. 2018 This has been a particularly brutal year for ransomware thus far. — Sean Gallagher, Ars Technica, "Ransomware strike takes down 23 Texas local government agencies," 19 Aug. 2019 The security researcher responsible for stopping the devastating WannaCry ransomware hack in 2017 avoided prison for charges related to creating banking malware, according to multiple reports. — Colin Lecher, The Verge, "WannaCry hero Marcus Hutchins will avoid prison in banking malware case," 26 July 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ransomware.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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