The social and legislative principles of counteracting ransomware crime

Abstract

This article aims to analyze the relationship between the threat of ransomware and new effective counteraction principles for law enforcement agencies to utilize. Moreover, it contemplates on how specific behavior of persons can help reduce the threat of being infected with this malicious software. It establishes that certain changes made in society's mentality towards their computer and network systems can significantly reduce the consequent damages of ransomware attacks. The manuscript uses a qualitative research approach and the analysis of variance (ANOVA), including an F-test, which defines major challenges in ransomware. This is the first empirical research piece which uses this type of data and approach for the analysis of current threats in global ransomware security. The article suggests that the main challenge is the systematic growth of ransomware connected to illegal businesses and the inattentive actions of casual users. The research paper proposes the implementation of global ransomware counteraction principles on the base of challenges that are present now and the prospects of rising threats in the future. In addition, the manuscript analyzes the trends of the last 2-years of attacks to find and determine new ways of successfully counteracting it for optimal innovative regional development.