ITPEC IP October 2020 Question 43
Which of the following is the aim of an attacker who infects someone else’s PC with ransomware?
Explanation
Make the files unusable and demand money to unlock them — the aim of ransomware.
Ransomware encrypts the files on the infected PC (or locks the PC) and displays a ransom demand, promising to restore access after payment. Payment does not guarantee recovery, so the main defence is backups kept apart from the PC.
Answer (b)
Why not others:
- •(a) — stealing personal information over the network is spyware
- •(c) — recording keystrokes and sending them out is a keylogger
- •(d) — controlling the PC remotely by sending commands is a bot or RAT (remote access tool)
Key rule: Ransomware is defined by extortion: it takes away access to data and sells it back.
Security · AI-written, may contain errors
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