Please write me a reply to my classmate answer on this discussion question below.

Classmates 1.

If I owned a business and it was a victim of ransomeware I would pay the ransom depending on the amount. If it was a ridiculous amount that I wouldn't not be able to pay then of course I would have no choice but to shut my business down because the ransom would make me go bankrupt regardless. Thats the reason why I wouldn't give into there demands. Also in some cases paying a ransom does not ensure that all files will be given back or used against me later on. However, if it was a reasonable amount that would damage my pockets but it was doable then yes I would pay the ransom because I could make up that loss. As we learned in the previous weeks police departments are not well equip to handle cyber crime. In current events the Colonial Pipeline was held up for ransom for 75 bitcoins worth up to 5 million dollars. They paid the hackers because they would be losing money if the company didn't comply. For the duration of the time that it was being held ransom, the gas prices increased and there was a shortage. to get things up and running as quickly as possible they just paid the hackers. The hackers that are believed to be behind these attacks are called the Dark Side. They are also believed to be from Eastern Europe. Due to this major ransomeware which affected Americans not just a few, Biden has signed an executive order to improve cyber security.

Classmates 2.

Ransomware is one of the most crippling cyberattacks. The consequences in most cases are always long-term as company data is always compromised. Systems that have been left vulnerable are at higher chances of being infiltrated (Myers & Trueman, 2019). If my organization was victimized by a ransomware attack, for sure, there would be no decision that wouldnt be too risky. During a ransomware attack, there are always two decisions to consider; pay the ransom or not. The first steps that one takes after an attack are the most critical.

Indeed, I wouldnt pay for the ransom. I wouldnt pay the ransom, and my immediate steps would be to ensure that all the unaffected devices in the network are offline. Contacting the authority, the FBI cybercrime unit would be the most essential. They have more training in handling ransom situations and can give the best advice on the next steps to be taken (Kendall, 2020). After data has been taken, there is never a guarantee that information will be returned. Sometimes paying up the attackers makes one susceptible to the attacks, and there is no guarantee that they will leave one alone after that. Also, turning to the authorities, they can assess the situation and decide precisely the best decision that can be taken.

I wouldnt consider paying ransom to attackers because the information has already been compromised. If I ended up giving in to their demands, one might find themselves in a critical situation to get the information back. Still, the attackers have already created a copy of the information, therefore, acting with the information to their interest. Giving also to the demands of the attackers makes one their fugitive. They are at liberty to make an attack and call for a ransom every time. There is also the risk that even after giving the ransom, one will not recover the data. There are so many uncertainties surrounding giving in to a ransom.