Nascar race team fell victim
Just days before a big race, an up-and-coming Nascar team suddenly found the crew chief’s laptop going haywire and all the team’s critical files locked up.
The team was the victim of a ransomware attack, a type of virus that locks up computer files until money is paid.
“A message popped up that said my files had all been encrypted. … The only way to get it back is to pay a ransom,” said Dave Winston, the crew chief for Circle Sport-Leavine Family Racing.
Ransomware cost Americans between $24 million and $28 million in 2015. It’s growing exponentially, according to the FBI.
An easy business to enter
The reason? “[Ransomware] is an easy business to get into. There are kits out there that you can buy on the deep dark web and start your own little ransomware company, and many of these end up actually being successful,” said Marcin Kleczynski, the CEO of Malwarebytes, a cybersecurity company that focuses on thwarting malware.
The criminals target everyone, including consumers, small businesses and major corporations.
“Its targets of opportunity could mean your grandma or grandpa, or a corporation down the street, such as a health-care provider,” said Will Bales, a Chantilly, Va.-based FBI supervisory special agent in charge of ransomware probes.
Still, 57 percent of victims are consumers, according to cybersecurity company Symantec. That means critical banking files, previous tax returns and personal photos can be locked up.
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