Ransomware is a type of malicious software (malware) that seeks to generate profit for its attackers by encrypting a user’s or practice’s files. The hackers then demand payment to decrypt the files, usually in an untraceable form such as bitcoin or prepaid debit cards.

Most ransomware infects systems through spam, phishing messages, websites, and email attachments. A recent IBM study revealed that 40% of all spam sent in 2016 contained ransomware attachments and it’s a growing problem. McAfee Labs reported an 80% increase in the number of ransomware variants since the beginning of 2016. The FBI now estimates ransomware to be a nearly $1 billion problem annually.

And it can happen to you! Last March, a Georgia dentist reported that a staffer opened an email thought to be from a former contact…