Ransomware’s Days Are Numbered

Ransomware is reaping a bonanza now, but like the infamous dark web marketplace Silk Road, it is on the path to oblivion, according to blogger Kenny Sahr. Right now ransomware is in the headlines, with attackers demanding millions in bitcoin, and most likely collecting. But once the feds decide to go after the main perps it will fade quickly. Silk Road was launched in 2011 and lasted two years. The founder was sentenced to two life sentences plus 30 years. Absent the layer of the internet, ransomware is a mafia-style extortion racket. One day we will wake up to a ransomware attack akin to Silk Road, says Sahr, a major attack that captures the attention of the media and the public. Politicians will call for arrests and US federal agencies and Interpol will go after the perpetrators, who will be sentenced to decades in prison. Ransomware attacks will continue to occur, but they will be fewer and less successful. Meanwhile, 2021 is shaping up as a banner year for ransomware, and Sahr suggests reviewing your security.