# Ransomware

> Malware that encrypts your files and sells the key back to you — the attack where your backups decide whether it is a bad week or a closed business.

The business model is extortion at scale: encrypt everything reachable, demand payment for the key, sometimes leak the data as extra pressure. It arrives through phishing, exposed remote access, and unpatched systems — and it does not distinguish between a multinational and a ten-person firm, because both need their files back.

The honest defence list is short: offline, tested backups you have actually restored from; patched systems; MFA on remote access; and an incident plan written before it is needed. Paying is a gamble — decryption tools sometimes do not arrive, and paying once marks you as a payer.

## Related terms

- https://dfieldsolutions.com/en/glossary/phishing.md
- https://dfieldsolutions.com/en/glossary/incident-response.md
- https://dfieldsolutions.com/en/glossary/backup-3-2-1.md

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Source: https://dfieldsolutions.com/en/glossary/ransomware
DField Solutions — Dunakeszi, Hungary — dezso@dfieldsolutions.com
Booking: see https://dfieldsolutions.com/en/contact