Don't pay up, but report ransomware incidents to CERT and law enforcement agencies: Advisory

The Centre has issued a special advisory on ‘Ransomware’, a malware designed to block access to a computer system until money is paid, asking people not to pay ransom. Individuals and organisations have been advised not to pay the ransom as this does not guarantee that the files would be released. Affected users should report such instances of fraud to Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) and law enforcement agencies, said a release issued by Haryana State Information Security Management Office here. According to the advisory, it has been observed that Ransomware malware attacks on financial and academic institutions and businesses in the country were on the rise. Ransomware are a type of malicious software, namely malware, that scramble the contents of a computer or server and demands payment or ransom to unlock it usually by anonymous decentralised virtual currency ‘Bitcoins’. PTI