A Prevention and a Traction System for Ransomware Attacks

Abstract

Over the past three years, especially following Wan-naCry malware, ransomware has become one of the biggest concerns for private businesses, state, and local government agencies. According to Homeland Security statistics, 1.5 million ransomware attacks have occurred per year since 2016. Cybercriminals often use creative methods to inject their malware into the target machines and use sophisticated cryptographic techniques to hold hostage victims' files and programs unless a certain amount of equivalent Bitcoin is paid. The return to the cybercriminals is so high (estimated $1 billion in 2019) without any cost because of the advanced anonymity provided by cryptocurrencies, especially Bitcoin [1]. Given this context, this study first discusses the current state of ransomware, detection, and prevention systems. Second, we propose a global ransomware center to better manage our concerted efforts against cybercriminals. The policy implications of the proposed study are discussed in the conclusion section. 1

Evolution and Impact of Ransomware: Patterns, Prevention, and Recommendations for Organizational Resilience

“…The inception of ransomware witnessed a shift in cybercriminal tactics, including luring users to malicious websites and encrypting files for extortion. Concurrently, ransomware strategies evolved towards regionalized attacks on financially robust businesses, with criminal groups strategically targeting sectors, employing malware encryption and data exfiltration, compelling companies to balance hefty ransom payments against the risk of exposing sensitive information (Maurya et al, 2018;Ozer et al, 2019). Understanding this evolution, monitoring ransomware patterns, and assessing their impact on the Bitcoin ecosystem are crucial for analyzing and mitigating cyber threats, emphasizing the interplay between ransomware attacks and cryptocurrency transactions (Turner et al, 2020).…”

Deep Learning Algorithm for Threat Detection in Hackers Forum (Deep Web)

“…Traditionally, deep web hacker forums are used for criminal activities, including different types of cybercrime, procurement of illegal drugs, child pornography, cryptocurrency markets, and hacking [35]. Cryptocurrency (i.e., Bitcoins) is adopted as a method of payment in hacker forums because of its' anonymous characteristics, which make it more difficult to link the users with any specific bank account details [31]. In the quest for high-quality security-related information, developing methodologies to crawl the deep web and excavate wealth of information for cyberthreat intelligence is a paramount concern [2].…”

A Comprehensive Study of the IoT Cybersecurity in Smart Cities

“…For example, in 2015, Kyiv (a Ukraine city) had a power outage caused by cyberattacks; this deprived the people of electricity for one hour approximately [19]. In 2019, the city of Baltimore, USA, was attacked with ransomware infecting the city government's computers and demanding 13 bitcoins in exchange for encrypted files [20]. When cities lose control of their systems due to cyberattacks, it can impact the technological axis, the city's economy, quality of life, and even more, can put in danger people's lives.…”