ESET has been announced as the latest partner of No More Ransom, an international initiative between Europol, the Dutch National Police and major cybersecurity organizations in the fight against ransomware. The collaborative project helps victims of ransomware attacks recover their personal data and has so far managed to decrypt the infected computers of 72,000 victims worldwide.
With its 130 partners, the No More Ransom online portal hosts a collection of 59 free decryption tools from multiple security software vendors, covering 91 ransomware families. Users from around the world can access the tools for free in order to recover data held hostage by ransomware attacks. Launched in 2016, No More Ransom decryption tools have so far kept around USD 22 million out of the pockets of cybercriminals.
ESET has long been helping ransomware victims recover encrypted data, its decryption tools having previously been downloaded over 250,000 times. Now two of these tools will also be available to a wider audience through the free, centralized and user-friendly platform of No More Ransom.
Ransomware has grown to become one of the largest cyberthreats facing businesses and consumers, and the rise of GandCrab and SamSam in 2018 has shown how the threat continues to grow and adapt. One report recently revealed 40% of all successful malware-based attacks involve ransomware.
The No More Ransom project recognizes that the fight against ransomware requires a joint effort, and ESET’s involvement represents its ongoing commitment to partner with law enforcement to fight cybercrime and allow everyone to enjoy safer technology.
ESET has previously collaborated with law enforcement agencies in large takedowns of malicious infrastructure, including the disruption of the Gamarue malware family. This global collaboration between the public and private sectors involved Microsoft, the FBI, Interpol and Europol. ESET also worked with various international organizations to uncover Operation Windigo, a widespread cybercriminal operation that seized control of tens of thousands of Unix servers. And most recently, the company partnered with law enforcement bodies and Google in the disruption of 3ve, a major online ad fraud operation.
