Ransomware Aftermath: Between a (Virtual) Rock and a Hard Place

Picture this: Just another workday. You settle in your chair, coffee at hand, and turn on your computer. Suddenly, an unfamiliar ominous screen flashes onto the monitor and informs you that you are now the victim of ransomware. It is like a (virtual) rock came crashing down and abruptly blocked all pathways. A timer pops up on the screen indicating you have less than 24 hours to make one of two choices: (1) pay the ransom to decrypt and regain access to your files, or (2) risk permanent deletion or dissemination of all your files. You are warned not to report the matter to any authorities. 

Will you pay the ransom? Or risk losing all the files in your system? Or worse – having all your data exposed? What key matters should be considered before making this decision?

*This article was first published in Juriste International 2021-2, the quarterly magazine of the Union Internationale des Avocats (UIA).