Ransomware has been recently reported in the news as 21 universities have been attacked using this method in the last year.
Ransomware is a type of malware used for hijacking data, in which the attacker encrypts data making it inaccessible and demanding payment for the decryption key. It installs covertly on a computer, typically carried out using a Trojan (a type of virus) disguised as a legitimate file, which is spread through email attachments, infected programs and compromised websites.
Typical names of Ransomware are Locky, Cryptolocker and Cryptowall.
If you are unsure of a link in a website or email, to check where it really goes, hover your mouse over it and read what it says – though even that is not always reliable. For example: shu.ac.uk or shu.ac.uk
They both look credible, but the first is legitimate and goes to the SHU external website and the second goes to the Microsoft pages on ransomware.
If you would like to discuss this, or any other IT security queries, contact the University IT Security Officer at itso@shu.ac.uk