The surge in the number of technology consumers has made organisations, companies and individuals more prone to cyber-attacks.
This became one of the biggest ransomware attacks in history.
While analysts focused on how brazen the attack was, the issue of cybersecurity became another headline grabber.
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Swedish Coop was one of them.
Apart from Swedish Coop, state railways services and a pharmacy chain also suffered disruption.
Understanding ransomware
Ransomware remains a major threat worldwide.
The chief information officer of a leading South African insurance brand, Jessica Mncube, believes ransomware attacks are orchestrated by sophisticated tech gurus. Image: SuppliedSource: Depositphotos
Mncube reiterated that ransomware attackers had swiftly moved from just encrypting systems to encrypting the data as well.
According to anonline tech security website, ransomware is a form of malware that encrypts a victim’s files.
It is usually orchestrated by a group of tech-savvy hackers.
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Users are shown instructions for how to pay a fee to get the decryption key.
The costs can range from a few hundred dollars to thousands, payable to cybercriminals in Bitcoin.
The reason for using Bitcoin is to block authorities from tracing them.
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Ransomware attacks are not new in South Africa.
Several companies have been in the recent past,Daily Maverickrecently reported.
In ransomware attacks, malware encrypts files on a gear or online grid, making the system inoperable.
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The people behind these types of cyberattacks typically demand a ransom in exchange for the release of data.
The situation, however, was dealt with quickly.
However, according to Mncube, it could have been a whole lot worse.
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Many suburbs would have been plunged into total darkness.
He added that the other crucial thing not just for businesses but everyone was backing up data.
To read more about their heartbreaking stories,click here.
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E-mail: rianette.cluley@briefly.co.za
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