ransomware

noun

ran·​som·​ware ˈran(t)-səm-ˌwer 

: malware that requires the victim to pay a ransom to access encrypted files

In September of 2013, security for small accounting offices changed forever with the appearance of a new class of threats called ransomware. … you open a file attached to an innocent-looking e-mail, and the program encrypts key files and drives so they cannot be accessed. The files are locked until you pay a ransom.

—Dave Mcclure

With ransomware, a hacker slips into a system, then puts encryption controls in place that locks users out. The hackers then demand money to "unlock" the data.

—Elizabeth Millard

Today's ransomware scammers often demand payment in bitcoin because the digital currency is easy to use, fast and provides a heightened anonymity for the scammers, according to the FBI warning.

—Susan Tompor

Examples of ransomware in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This increase in data will leave companies more vulnerable to a wide-scale data breach, given that ransomware attacks are increasingly targeting backups. —Expert Panel®, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2025

Unfortunately, data breaches via ransomware attacks have become increasingly common in recent years. —Kate Irwin, PCMAG, 21 Jan. 2025

Prior to that, Change Healthcare, the largest healthcare payment processor in the U.S., also fell victim to a ransomware attack in 2024. —Morgan Chittum, CNBC, 21 Jan. 2025

This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe. —Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, Fox News, 20 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

2005, in the meaning defined above