Ransomware blocks victims from accessing personal files and demands a ransom to regain access. It is a type of malware. There are three categories of ransomware:

  • Scareware: It is a form of malware that uses social engineering to cause fear or anxiety to manipulate users into buying unwanted software.
  • Screen Lockers: Here, the users’ computers are locked, and it displays an official-looking message. It thus prevents them from logging in to their computers.
  • Encrypting Ransomware: The ransomware displays a message demanding payment in return for the private asymmetric key needed to decrypt the encrypted file’s symmetric keys.