What Is Ransomware as a Service (RaaS)?

Criminals are always looking for the following big money-making scheme. And nowadays, that means ransomware. Ransomware is a malicious software attack that locks down your computer and demands payment for your files. It's easy to get paid—if you know what you're doing. But if you're not a hacker or looking to try it out as a hobby? Well, then, it's not so simple. Enter RaaS: Ransomware as a Service (or "rent-a-ransomware"). Ransomware is designed to make money by locking down your computer and demanding payment for your files. But to do that kind of thing, you have to know how to code. Not all have the time or the patience for that kind of thing. That's where RaaS comes in! Ransomware as a Service authorizes criminals to purchase ransomware software on dark web marketplaces. And it can use without needing any coding knowledge! You can be up and run your own ransomware business within minutes! It's no secret that phishing emails are one of the most common ways hackers gain access to your data. The idea is simple: send an email with a link and wait until someone clicks on it. Then, you have free reign over their system. The problem is that phishing emails are so ubiquitous and easy to create that they're no longer very effective. They've become a joke among cybersecurity experts and hackers themselves! So, what's a hacker to do? Well, there's always RaaS! It's not uncommon for criminals to be challenging to catch, but the latest wave of attacks by RaaS and ransomware exploiters may be a new high-water mark. These scammers use Tor browsers (Onion Routers) to reach their victims and require ransom payments in cryptocurrency. The result is that they can hide their tracks, making it difficult for law enforcement agencies to identify them. It makes them very difficult to catch, but there is some hope that we might see an end to this type of crime before it gets out of hand.