Students at Carleton University are being warned that some of its computers have been infected by ransomware — a type of computer virus that uses encryption to effectively hold files hostage in exchange for payment.  “Any system accessible from the main network, that is Windows based, may have been compromised,” the school’s computing and communications services department wrote.

Source: CBC

Date: November 29th, 2016

Link: http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/ransomware-carleton-university-computers-bitcoin-infects-1.3872702

Discussion

1) “the attackers are asking for either two bitcoin per machine, or 39 bitcoin total to release the encrypted files — the latter equalling nearly $38,941 at today’s rate on the popular Bitcoin exchange Coinbase.”   Should the university give in to the ransom demand?

2) How should a university, or company, defend against these ransomware attacks?