Local Government Management Guide to Ransomware

Imagine being locked out of your computer because it has been infected with malware, or having data and records deleted or stolen and then being contacted by someone demanding a fee or fine (ransom) to regain access to the computer system and data.

Malicious software, or malware, refers to software programs that are designed to harm computer systems. These programs can wreak havoc on both systems and electronic data by, for example, deleting files, gathering sensitive information such as passwords without the computer user’s knowledge and making systems inoperable. Computer users can inadvertently install malware on their computers by many methods, including opening email attachments, downloading content from the Internet or merely visiting infected websites.