Ransomware: The Digital Wild West
When we think of the word “ransom,” we might imagine an old Western movie or a homemade note created from various magazine clippings. In reality, today’s ransoms are much less melodramatic, and more common than you might think.
How does a ransomware attack work?
There are two primary types of ransomware: locker and crypto. Locker ransomware locks victims from using important device functions, like accessing a desktop or browsing the internet. Crypto, the more common form, encrypts files using a unique algorithm and demands a ransom payment.
Cybercriminals usually demand payment in Bitcoin. Bitcoin allows you to pay for goods or services remotely, and every transaction is anonymous, making it the payment method of choice for cybercriminals.
These types of scams typically target businesses, because their files are more valuable and businesses have more capital to pay a potential ransom. Don’t think you’re safe just because you’re not a business owner! Over 59% of businesses allow their employees to access business accounts and files from their personal devices, meaning your phone or laptop could serve as a back door for a cybercriminal.
Additionally, ransomware scammers have begun targeting individual consumers as well. In late 2025, an AI-driven ransomware program called LunaLock gained access to the artisan platform Artists&Clients. The program encrypted and locked hundreds of thousands of artist accounts, stealing their work and threatening to use their personal creations as training materials for AI unless a ransom was paid (up to $50,000 per account!). Whether you’re an individual creator, an employee, or a business owner, you need to protect yourself. Here’s a few ways to get started:
1. Back up your files
Your best bet is to back up and encrypt your files however you can — onto an external hard drive, or even a separate computer. An estimated 97% of businesses targeted by ransomware were able to recover their information, provided it was encrypted and backed up in a secondary location. It’s advisable to check at least once a month to ensure everything you need is safely backed up.
2. Practice good internet safety habits
You probably already know most of these, but they bear repeating:
Don’t click on any suspicious looking links, especially those embedded in emails from unknown senders.
If you’re a business owner, notify your employees of any suspicious out-of-network emails going around. You may also consider providing VPNs for your employees for out-of-network use.
Use a trusted security program, downloaded from official sources (EDR software like Malwarebytes, Bitdefender, or Adonis is helpful).
3. Don’t pay the ransom
If you are the victim of a ransomware attack, do not pay the ransom. The FBI actually advises against paying such ransoms. Payment only gives hackers the incentive to continue, and payment really doesn’t influence whether they decrypt your files or not. If you’re desperate for your files, paying may seem like the only option, but consider what would happen if no one paid up. Crime syndicates would be stopped without any work from the FBI.
If you have been the victim of a ransomware scammer, report them to the FBI here.