Question

Recent cyber crime that include locking a person out of his/her own device until a payment is made can be termed as __________.

• A. Identity theft
• B. Phishing
• C. Ransomware
• D. Spamming

Hint:

"Ransom" payment is the defining feature of Ransomware.
This simple keyword mapping makes cybercrime questions very easy to solve.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

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Step 1: Understanding the Question:
The question asks for the specific term used to describe a cyber attack where malicious software encrypts user files or locks them out of their device, demanding money to restore access.

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Step 2: Key Formula or Approach:
This relates to cyber security and different forms of malware:
- Identity theft: Stealing personal information to commit fraud under another identity.
- Phishing: Fraudulent attempts to obtain sensitive information like passwords by posing as a trustworthy entity.
- Ransomware: Malware that holds a computer system or data hostage in exchange for a ransom payment.
- Spamming: Sending unsolicited bulk messages.

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Step 3: Detailed Explanation:
Ransomware is a type of malware from cryptovirology that threatens to publish the victim's personal data or perpetually block access to it unless a ransom is paid.
Common forms of ransomware encrypt the victim's files, making them inaccessible, and demand a financial payout (often in cryptocurrency like Bitcoin) to decrypt them.
Some simple locker ransomware may just lock the system screen and display a demand note without encrypting files.
Since the prompt specifically refers to locking a person out of their device until a payment is made, this matches the definition of Ransomware.

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Step 4: Final Answer:
The correct option is (C).