This is the second blog in the series where we are touching upon some of the fundamental knowledge about ransomware attacks. The purpose of this series is to ensure that our readers remain fully familiar with this contemporary cyber threat and can timely employ preventive measures. Moreover, this information will also help them in picking the right ransomware repair services.
Here, we will discuss different methods or vectors that are used by ransomware operators to deliver cryptovirological codes to the devices of targeted users.
Email is the most commonly used delivery method in many of the ransomware campaigns.
Attachments
Malicious email attachments are used by ransomware operators to transfer cryptographic codes. Social engineering is at full demonstration while crafting the mails that contain these malicious attachments. In most of the cases, these attachments are word files, Java scripts or any other portable executable extension. Victims download these attachments as they are instructed in the mail. However, instead of downloading any useful piece of information, they inadvertently download the payload of a ransomware strain.
This type of delivery method is effectively used by ransomware operators to infect organizational networks by exploiting the technological unawareness of employee.
Web Links
Emails through social engineering tactics is also used to redirect the users to the web links that directly transfer the payload of a ransomware to the targeted devices.
Exploit Kits
As the name suggests, these are the hidden software kits responsible to run malicious web pages. These web pages asses and exploit vulnerabilities of the targeted user’s device. Exploit kits start to run as soon as a user visits a compromised web address. If the kit succeeds in finding out the vulnerabilities of the device, a payload of the ransomware strain infiltrates into the device by a drive-by download.
As soon as the payload of a ransomware strain is transferred to the targeted device, encryption activity starts which results into the lockdown of the stored data. The affected victims then need professional ransomware repair services to get back the access to their locked down files.
For assistance on file recovery, please contact MonsterCloud Cyber Security experts for a professional ransomware removal.
