Codepunk 014 Ransomware

Hacking and data theft has always been an issue since the first computer was plugged in and something important was stored on it. As computer users, we've suffered through spyware and malware that have attempted to sell our personal data and/or trick us into signing up for services, or providing a credit card to shady individuals.

Ransomware has become the next evolution of the Internet scam--only much more dangerous. Hackers are penetrating systems and encrypting data, then holding that data for ransom, decrypting it only when they get paid. Although more targeted towards businesses than individuals, ransomware has been on the rise as encryption has gotten better, and criminals have gotten smarter.

In this episode, we talk about ransomware, some of the more recent news stories about data theft (including MongoDB exploits), and general data security.