Protect Yourself From Ransomware
Ransomware is a common type of malware that targets and holds victims’ private data hostage until a ransom is paid. Though malicious actors demand a ransom, there is no guarantee that paying the ransom will ensure you can unencrypt your data or that the actors haven’t kept a copy for themselves for future malfeasance.
Some ransomware wreaked so much havoc that their names are wellknown even outside of IT circles. Newer variations don’t have the same name recognition but are just as devastating. Here are a few wellknown and recent examples:
WannaCry was a worm based ransomware that was one of the biggest ransomware attacks in the world. It would query a domain that didn’t exist and used an exploit built into windowd called “EternalBlue." It was stopped by registering the domain it used so once it got a response it didn’t execute the actual ransomware code.
Cryptolocker was a ransomware that was disguised as a trojan horse. It acted like a safe application, but upon downloading it would begin locking your files and demanding a ransom. It spread by emails, applications, attachments, hacked websites, and more.
Safepay is a group that is known for quick ransomware attacks, taking only 24 hours from breaching to payment. They request cryptocurrency, and have little known about them. They started in 2024 and surged in 2025, quickly reaching 600 cases in 2026.
Akira is a retro looking ransomware that primarily focuses on bypassing MFA weaknesses and VPN software vulnerabilities. Akira uses PowerShell commands to lock and encrypt files with a ‘.akira’ extension at the end of them.
Lockbit 5.0 was originally called just Lockbit early 2024 before it was seized and removed permanently. Lockbit 5.0 is an upgraded version that has surfaced in 2025. It uses a randomized 16-character extension to evade detection.
There is no way to avoid being targetted by ransomware but you can educe your exposure. These include the following methods but keep in mind that this list is not comprehensive:
Regularly patch your systems to take advantage of security updates and address vulnerabilities, especially in firewalls and devices on the edge of your network.
Implement the zero trust principle, whereby you assume every device is malicious and only trust devices you fully know are safe.
Make use of the principle of least priviledge and restrict tools and administrator privileges only to people who require them.
Use defense in depth whenever possible: implement multifactor authentication, credential and access management, and as many other layers of security as you can.
More information on ransomware and how to protect yourself is available from many sources. Here are a few examples to get you started: