FTC Fall Technology Series: Ransomware

With alarming frequency, ransomware hackers are sneaking into consumer and business computers, encrypting files containing photos, documents and other important data, and then demanding a ransom in exchange for the key needed to decrypt the files. At times, these hackers pose as the FBI or other law enforcement officials and claim that the ransom is a “fine” for viewing illegal material and that failure to pay the “fine” will result in criminal prosecution. Consumers, businesses, and government agencies are falling prey to these schemes, including hospitals whose servers may contain sensitive patient data. New forms of ransomware encrypt files of website operators, threatening not only their files containing stored data, but the very files needed to operate their websites. Other variants of ransomware are now targeting files on mobile devices. Bill Hardin and a panel of experts will address these issues. 
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