Ransomware attacks have been drastically increased in 2021. And out of all these attacks, till now, more than 93% occurred at the start of 2021. This rise in attacks is due to the high use of the “triple extortion” ransomware technique by cybercriminals. Triple Extortion means the ransomware makers not just attack and threaten the main target but also steals data from third parties like customers, vendors, and business partners related to the main target and threaten them too for paying the ransom.
What is Ransomware ?
Ransomware is a kind of malware that asks the victim to pay ransom/money to get his/her important data back and sometimes it threatens to publish this data. It gets access to the victim’s PC/files and encrypts those files with military-level grade encryption that sometimes it gets hard to decrypt those files and get your data back.
Here you have to work smartly, never pay the ransom they ask for unless you have tried every possible way to remove the ransomware from your system. There are multiple tools/software, both free and paid, in the market which can help you protect your PC from a ransomware attack and remove the already installed ones. But first, let’s have a look at how this malware attacks and works.
How Ransomware Attacks Your System?
Ransomware can get on your PC in several ways. The most common way Ransomware takes to attack your system is by Phishing Mails which come to the victim pretending as something important mail. Once open the ransomware gets installed on your PC and takes over the system.
Another way ransomware can attack your system is by exploiting the security holes. NotPetya is an example here. This ransomware infects your computer through security holes. Using malicious websites or websites with non – anti-malware support can also allow ransomware to get into your system.
And now, as we mentioned above, due to the triple extortion technique cybercriminals and hackers not just steal sensitive data from corporations but are also targeting the customers of those organizations and business partners to leak their data unless they paid the payment.
How Does Ransomware Works?
The second thing to understand here is how ransomware works? But we already told you that it works by encrypting your files and then asking for ransom in return to decrypt your files. It works in some other ways too, but encrypting files and making your data inaccessible to you is the most common way of ransomware working.
When it encrypts your data and makes it inaccessible, it then shows a message asking for money and also shows a specific time limit to pay that ransom. Here, it is highly recommended that you should not pay and try solutions to remove malware.
Dangerous Emerging Ransomware in 2021
With the surge in ransomware attacks in 2021, there are many new variants have come into the market and it is getting hard to keep track of all of those. Here are four major emerging and dangerous ransomware of 2021 you must be aware of:
Hive Ransomware
Hive ransomware first appeared in June 2021 and researchers are still unaware of how it can enter any system. The report says that it gets in the system and encrypts specific files adding an extension of randomized characters after the file name is encrypted.
Then a note of “HOW-TO-DECRYPT” appears on the screen which asks the victim to pay ransom to talk with ransomware attackers as to how to decrypt the files and get the data back. This ransomware first appeared in Health care organizations and other major businesses.
AvosLocker
We all know the dark web is not safe and there reside professional hackers and cybercriminals who can install multiple viruses and malware in your system. AvosLocker is the malware of the dark web. It first appeared in July 2021. This malware works within the ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) model and is supervised by avos. Avos advertises its services on Dread which is a forum for dark web discussion.
HelloKitty: LINUX Edition
HelloKitty surfaced in 2020 and its primary target was Windows 10. Researchers detected a Linux (ELF) sample with a funny name_linux.elf. It contained a ransom note which directly matched later with other HelloKitty ransom notes for Windows. And then slowly this ransomware along with its variants began targeting ESXi.
LockBit 2.0
This ransomware has been in operation since 2019 but now there has been recent evolution in its working. And it’s makers claimed that now it is the fastest encryption software in operation. LockBit 2.0 has attacked over 50 major organizations since June 2021. It gets in the system and after encrypting everything it shows Restore-My-Files.txt to the victims and then advises to decrypt it via paying the ransom. And worst, it started a reverse countdown showing that the victim’s time of decrypting his files is getting lower.
Other Dangerous Ransomware Attacks
In the above section, we discuss just the emerging ransomware of 2021. Here is the most dangerous ransomware list:
Maze ransomware
It first surfaced in 2019 and quickly become notorious because of its malware class. Almost from all the ransomware attacks recorded in the world, Maze ransomware accounted for more than a third of attacks.
Conti Ransomware
It is also known as IOCP Ransomware. It surfaces in 2019 but becomes famous in 2020 and almost 13% of ransomware cases in 2020 were because of the attacks of Conti Ransomware. Conti Ransomware acts like it is offering help. It shows notification like it will help you fill the security holes and will ask you to download specific software. And upon downloading the software ransomware will be launched on your computer by cybercriminals.
REvil Ransomware
This ransomware was first spotted in 2019 in Asia regions and become popular because it was strong enough to bypass systems and legitimate use of CPU functions. REvil ransomware makes up 11% of total ransomware attacks last year. It largely affects the financial, business, and manufacturing sectors.
Netwalker
This is also known as Mailto ransomware has, reportedly, a 10% share in all the ransomware attacks. It acts largely by encrypting industrial-level data. According to reports, cybercriminals hauled in a total of 25 Million $ last year. The interesting fact here is that in January 2021, polices caught the dark web resources of Netwalker and charged a Canadian Citizen for extortion activity.
Dopplepaymer ransomware
It accounts for 9% of total ransomware attacks in the world. It usually affects automobile industries including electronic fields.
So here are some major and most common yet dangerous you must protect your PC from. Keep in mind that every ransomware attacks differently but the main purpose of every ransomware is the same; to demand payments from the victims by encrypting the data and then threatening to leak the information.
Can Ransomware be removed and How To Remove Ransomware?
The answer is, YES. Ransomware can be removed from your system by using the right ransomware protection and removal tools. We have talked about what is ransomware, how it works, what are most dangerous ransomware attacks, now let’s have a look at some ransomware removal tools/software you can download on your PC which can help prevent data encryption and overall ransomware attacks.
5 Best Malware Removal Software For Windows
Best Tools To Prevent Ransomware Attacks
Download these Ransomware removal tools to prevent and Ransomware attacks on your system:
Bitdefender Antivirus Plus
This is the best and reliable anti-ransomware tool. And not just anti-ransomware it is also an antivirus as well as anti-malware. It protects against ransomware attacks and thoroughly scans your PC for any possible ransomware presence. Reasons To Buy:
- Accurate and Reliable
- Password Manager as Well
- Cheap Subscriptions
Visit the official site of Bitdefender now to get your ransomware protection.
AVG Antivirus
AVG is a good anti-ransomware tool but it is quite noisy as compared to other ransomware removal tools mentioned here. Its notification might irritate you a little bit buts it working is good and provide complete prevention against ransomware attacks. It provides anti-ransomware protection from both hideously downloaded content and malicious links/websites. Reasons to Buy For:
- A Great Track record of providing ransomware protection
- Configure able and easy To Scan
- Thoroughly search for ransomware
Visit the official site of AVG Antivirus now to get your ransomware protection.
Avast Antivirus
Avast is the most famous and strongest software which protects against ransomware attacks. It is both an anti-virus and anti-malware tool which protects against malicious stuff. Its basic features are free, but a premium plan is also available for those looking for higher anti-ransomware protection. Reason To Buy For:
- Both Anti-Virus & Anti-Malware
- Excellent Detection Rates
- Efficient and Fast Scanning
- Upgrade continuously to provide protection against latest ransomware
Visit the official site of Avast Antivirus now to get your ransomware protection.
Webroot Antivirus
If you are looking for an anti-ransomware tool that can provide efficient protection as well as must be light on your system then Webroot antivirus is the best choice. It works lightly on your system without slowing it down. It takes just seconds to install this anti-ransomware on your PC and it hardly takes 2MB of your hard drive. Webroot provides real-time anti-phishing protection, firewall, and network connection monitoring. Reasons To Buy For:
- Highly Efficient Scanning and Detection
- Lightweight on System Resources
- Real-time anti-phishing protection
Visit the official site of Webroot Antivirus to get your ransomware protection.
ESET NOD32 Antivirus
ESET Antivirus might not be a good choice if you are looking for an all-in-one package. Because it does not support the features like a password manager, anti-phishing protection, and firewall monitoring. But it doesn’t make it any less in antimalware protection. It is the best when it comes to detection and providing protection against ransomware attacks. It also works best in filtering malicious URLs and websites. But keep in mind that you can only use this if you are an expert in handling anti-malware tools because its interface is not easy to use by beginners. Reasons To Buy For:
- Highly Configurable
- Best ransomware protection
- Malicious URL Filtering
- Device Access Control is supported
Visit the official site of ESET NOD32 Antivirus to get your ransomware protection.
Best Tools To Remove Ransomware From Your PC
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware
Malwarebytes is the best ransomware removal tool available in the market. Its extensive list of features makes it the most reliable tool to remove malware and ransomware from your PC. It provides real-time protection against malware containing websites, links, and emails.
How To Remove Malware using Malwarebytes From Windows PC
It not only protects against ransomware but also removes existing ransomware from your PC. It also prevents ransomware to install on your computer at any time in the future. This means Malwarebytes is real-time protection against ransomware. Reasons To Buy For:
- Deep Scanning Of You System
- Provide protection against all kinds of malware
- Record track of dealing with dangerous ransomware
Visit the official site of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware to remove ransomware from your PC.
Avast Free Ransomware Decryption Tools
Avast Free Ransomware Decryption Tool is specifically designed to deal with different strains of ransomware. On its official website, it has provided all the detail of the working of each type of ransomware. you can easily search for your kind and then download the relative decryption tool. It’s easy to use and guides you at every step. This is the best free ransomware decryption tool to get your data back without paying the ransomware attackers. Reasons To Buy For:
- Step-by-step Guide To remove ransomware
- Keeps on updating to provide protection against latest and emerging dangerous ransomware
Visit the official site of Avast Free Ransomware Decryption Tools to remove ransomware from your PC.
Check out the Avast free ransomware decryption tools here:
Download Free Ransomeware Decryption Tools from Avast
Kaspersky Anti-Ransomware Tool
If you are from a small business and looking for an easy and comprehensive anti-ransomware tool, then the Kaspersky Anti-ransomware tool is best to go for. Like Bitdefender, it is more of a ransomware preventer than decrypting ransomware-attacked files. It prevents ransomware attacks to happen in the first place. So, it is a good-to-go form of protection for both your small businesses and home PCs. Reasons To buy for:
- Provide protection against malicious content to be launched in your system
- Monitors network activity thoroughly
- Ransomware attack prevention and protection
Visit the official site of Kaspersky Anti-Ransomware Tool to remove ransomware from your PC.
Download Free Ransomware Decryptors from Kaspersky
| CoinVault Decryptor | Wildfire Decryptor |
| Rannoh Decryptor | Xorist Decryptor |
| Shade Decryptor | Rakhni Decryptor |
So, these are some details you must know to provide your PC from Ransomware attacks. If the attack is already happened then do consider our list of best anti-ransomware tools to remove ransomware from your PC. Subscribe to our website to get more information related to common and dangerous threats you may face while using your PC. The best way is to prevent ransomware attacks to happen. Drop any queries you have in your mind for us.
