What is Ransomware?

Ransomware is a type of malware or malicious software that blocks access to a user's computer system or threatens to leak sensitive or personal data. The goal of most ransomware attacks is to extort a ransom payment in exchange for restoring access to sensitive encrypted data. Ransomware has become a powerful tool for bad actors targeting users that could potentially lose their all-important data. Ransomware attacks can pose a heightened threat to cryptocurrency users because demands are often sought in bitcoin (BTC) or other digital currencies to avoid unwanted detection.