Ransomware: How to Protect Your Business from Ransomware Attacks Ransomware The Rising Threat of Ransomware Attacks Ransomware has rapidly emerged as one of the top cybersecurity threats facing businesses today. By encrypting victim data and demanding large payments to decrypt, ransomware leverages extortion to inflict maximum damage. Understanding this expanding criminal enterprise is crucial for organizations seeking to defend against future attacks. The Evolution of Ransomware While ransomware exploded into public consciousness around 2017, its origins trace back much earlier. The first recognized ransomware attack occurred in 1989 against AIDS researchers. Attackers mailed floppy disks to conferences, infecting researchers. However, ransomware as a lucrative criminal business model did not truly emerge until the rise of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin enabled anonymous ransom payments. Key developments include: - 2006: Archives is one of the first ransomware threats to encrypt file