(CNN) – A cyber epidemic is crippling businesses around the world.
The tech world calls it ransomware, which is a type of malicious software that blocks access to a computer system until a payoff is made.
An Apple operating system fell victim last month, and hackers are using ransomware against some other high-profile targets.
In a recent incident, a note popped up on dozens of computer screens in the Horry County, South Carolina school district. And then the screens were frozen.
The schools technology director, Charles Hucks, knew immediately that his computers were under attack and that his data were being held ransom.
After contacting the FBI and state law-enforcement officials, who did not help, the school system paid up, $10,000, to avoid weeks of delay while they restored their hundreds of servers from backup.
In another incident earlier this year, a California hospital found its computer systems frozen, held for ransom. The ransom was more than $16,000. For the full article click here
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