Software that encrypts a user's hard drive and then demands payment in order to decrypt it. It "kidnaps" the user's computer! Also known as a "cryptovirus" or "cryptotrojan."
 | Reproduced with permission from Computer Desktop Encyclopedia. Copyright (c) 1981-2009 The Computer Language Company Inc. All rights reserved. |
Additional Resources
- New ransomware attack blocks Internet access
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- Discussion threads 2009-03-26
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