Set against the backdrop of accelerated growth of technology over the past several decades, notwithstanding large organizations, nonprofits as well have become overly reliant on technology for their day-to-day operations. New data shows that this reliance often presents opportunities for cyber criminals to launch discreet or direct attacks, leading to one of the most threatening scenarios: a ransomware attack.
In recent years, there has been a significant uptick in ransomware attacks, in which malicious software or a hacker encrypts or locks down critical files. Post that, they demand huge payments to let users get back their files and access to their systems. These types of attacks can happen anywhere — and at any time of the day — often to the surprise and shock of users. Further, tracking the source of such attacks is often difficult, exacerbating a highly critical situation. The attackers have the potential to slam the brakes on the engine of any large business — and nonprofits aren’t much further away from becoming a victim in such cases — and this can often lead to their shutdown.
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