What Really Happens During a Ransomware Attack?

By early 2020, ransomware attacks had increased by 41% over 2019 levels, and the average ransom payment had risen to more than $80,000. These numbers reflect the rapid shift from solitary hackers targeting specific businesses to large networks of cybercriminals using sophisticated AI and automation tools to continually probe all types of businesses for vulnerabilities. That was the backdrop for one convenience retailer which experienced a ransomware attack in February 2020. The company’s business leaders were gracious enough to (anonymously) share their story to help other businesses avoid suffering the same fate. What follows is the general timeline of events…