FBI Proclaims Crypto-Ransomware Victims Should Pay Up Decryption Fees

Among the most popular and dangerous malware threats, ransomware has transfixed thousands to nearly millions of computer users around the world. The most recent crypto-ransomware threats are among the most potent types of malware around that hold an infected computer for ransom until a fee is paid or the threat is removed.

Out of a surprising speech by the Assistant Special Agent, who oversees the FBI's CYBER and Counterintelligence Program in Boston, it was suggested that companies infected with ransomware may want to give into the cybercrooks demands and pay the fee that they ask for when prompted.

While as crazy as the statement made by the FBI seems, it may not be a bad idea considering how difficult recent ransomware threats are to remove and how they often end up encrypting data on an infected system to the point that the data cannot ever be recovered.

As we know all-to-well, recent Ransomware threats have caused a great deal of issues among countless computer users and their infected system. Most of the ransomware threats that we have seen come across our research departments has been crypto-ransomware types, which are known to encrypt documents and various files on an infected computer while it asks that an outrageous fee be paid to obtain a decryption key. In many instances, the fee to be paid for decryption ranges from $200 to $10,000 for individuals and business computer users.

It is believed that hackers behind recent ransomware threats have made over $18 million from April 2014 to June 2015. Most of the reasons for their big payday is because some computer users infected with advanced crypto-type ransomware threats rather just pay the fine than deal with the task of attempting to remove the threat or manually recover encrypted files. Most times paying the fee for decryption will yield full restoration of the encrypted files, and the computer user can go about their business as normal without the roadblock of ransomware or the potentially daunting task of removing the threat.

The Boston Bureau, who made the surprising statement suggesting that victims of ransomware just pay the decryption fee, doesn't make recommendations for what businesses should do if they fall victim. Instead, the Bureau gives options for businesses that are affected, and it is ultimately up to them to choose the best course of action, which is suggestive to reverting to backups to restore a ransomware-infected machine.

To support the FBI's recent statement about how to counteract ransomware threats, it is not a bad idea to pay up the ransom considering how some recent threats, such as CryptoLocker, have kept the decryption fee rather low. Fundamentally, paying the ransom for CrytoLocker and similar ransomware threats is quite affordable for businesses as well as individuals who choose to take the gamble.

Considering how it is a gamble to pay the ransomware fee, we urge computer users to take instead proactive measures now instead of later by protecting their computer with the proper software, even if it means running the latest antivirus or antimalware applications that guard against such threats. Ironically, the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) is suggesting the same course of action in addition to utilizing popup blockers, perform system backups often, use caution when clicking on suspicious or unknown links, and above all, report all ransomware activity to your local FBI field office.