Hackers extort money from victims of ransomware

BALTIMORE —According to industry experts, hackers have now found a way to extort money from people by hacking into their computers and freezing their files until they pay a ransom, like in the case of a California hospital.

The hackers demanded a ransom, and the California hospital paid it to the tune of $17,000.

People can protect themselves, but even experts will agree sometimes it’s easier and cheaper to just pay that ransom.

It’s a frightening scenario: Hackers used malware known as “ransomware” to hack into the computers of Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center in California, holding the hospital’s computers hostage until the CEO agreed to pay 40 bitcoins or $17,000 to get the computers back online. For the full article click here 

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