Obsolete Ransomware Is a Threat

Ransomware">¹ in its modern shape was first detected in 2014, and since then cybercriminals have produced hundreds or even thousands of different ransomware variants. Some ransomware groups are currently shut down, and some are still going, having dozens of unsupported variants. However, ransomware is always ransomware – it will encrypt your files and ask for a ransom payment even though it was released 3 years ago, and no one will check that contact email.

Obsolete ransomware: explaining the danger

Ransomware is distributed in different ways. Primarily, those aimed at corporations do not have the exact file source – it is injected during the attack by crooks. But those aimed at individual users are usually spread through malicious email spam or as a part of an untrustworthy program. Hence, it is straightforward to find such a program or email message on the Web and click on it. The sleeping ransomware will be glad to wake up and do its filthy job, ciphering everything you have on your PC. Sure, it will not be able to connect to its servers, but no one prohibits the ransomware from using an offline key – that will be as hard as the online one.

And the problem is not only in the fact that there are a lot of outdated and uncontrolled ransomware variants, which can cipher your files without any chances for getting back. Even after being encrypted with the newest ransomware variant, you may wait for the decryption tool to be released or even pay the ransom. But for the obsolete malware variants, you will likely turn old than get a free decryption tool or the answer on your email about the decryption after the ransom payment.

Analyzing the ransomware statistics

It is important to know how much ransomware and of which type is circulating nowadays. Since its appearance in 2014, ransomware was experiencing only local downtrends, having, in fact, a stable uptrend for new variants appearing. The last significant decrease in ransomware activity took place at the beginning of 2021, when a large distribution group was caught by cyber police. However, capturing the distributors is not equal to capturing the ransomware producers and vaporizing all existing ransomware variants. All malicious items produced earlier are still dangerous and can be found on the Internet, in this or that form.