Ransomware is one of the most
popular methods used by computer hackers and cyber attackers to get money from
computer users who fall prey to this type of malware. Ransomware uses methods
to encrypt data on the computers it infects in order to prevent users from
accessing data needed to run the system or their personal files, in which case the
only option available to the user to decrypt the data is to pay the attacker a
sum of money, even if they acquiesce There is no way to guarantee that this
attacker will fulfill his promise after receiving the money and decrypting it
to enable the user to regain access to the data and files.
The most effective way over the
ages to protect against extortion is to be careful and avoid actions that may
help attackers infiltrate our devices, as it is said prevention is better than
cure, but prevention here is not an easy thing, with the development of
fraudulent techniques and methods used by these attackers to infiltrate through
loopholes such as Spoofing trusted website links and names or creating fake
Wi-Fi networks in public places, even the largest companies and organizations
in the world may fall victim, and the Internet service providers themselves may
fall victim to these attacks, and users' personal data may be vulnerable to
hacking. Hence the importance of taking care of developing cybersecurity techniques
so that various networks provide some protection for their users' data from
snoopers and cyber-attackers.
Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)
are one of the services that are commonly used online because of the high
protection they provide to users, so can VPNs specifically protect their users
from ransomware attacks? This is what we will discuss in the following lines.
What is ransomware?
The first type of ransomware
appeared in the eighties of the twentieth century, and it is a type of
malicious software that differs from viruses. Once installed on devices,
ransomware encrypts any data and anything on the computer's hard drive,
including operating system files, so the user thinks that a virus has infected
The device is turned off and turned off, but in the next step the attackers
start demanding the user to pay a ransom in exchange for selling the data
encryption key to release the files. These files or data are often very
important, as cyber attackers mainly target large companies and organizations, which
have huge budgets that guarantee their ability to pay the required amounts, and
usually transfer these amounts to the attackers using digital currencies or
credit cards.
Cyber attackers use several
means to introduce their malicious software into networks and devices so that
this software can then take control of devices and networks and install
ransomware to encrypt and lock files in them. The most common of these methods
are:
- Sending spam text messages
and emails containing suspicious attachments, media, or suspicious links to as
many users as possible.
- The use of malicious
advertisements that may offer services and products at an attractive price or
even for free, and may sometimes be advertisements for ways to achieve
financial profit without effort. Such ads lead users while browsing websites,
even legitimate and trusted websites, to malicious servers without the user
having to interact with or click on the ad, where the ad itself is often
frame-bombed or uses an invisible web page element to direct the user Without
his work to the tools copy the malicious code to his device. These servers then
index and collect data about the infected computers and their locations, then
determine the most appropriate type of malware for each victim, which is often
ransomware.
- Phishing and social engineering
tactics such as sending fake emails impersonating well-known people or
companies, asking users to fill out surveys, providing attackers with certain
data, or uploading certain documents to view new company policies.
What are Virtual Private Networks VPN?
It is a set of servers that allow
Internet users a protected connection when using public Wi-Fi networks, where
VPNs hide the identities of users and their actual geographical locations, and
encrypt their movement over the Internet or their activity records in
real-time, which makes it difficult for snoopers and attackers to attack Users'
online activities and data theft.
VPNs mask the identity of Internet
users by redirecting the user’s IP address or IP address to a remote server in
another country specially created for this purpose, which is operated by the
VPN host, so the VPN server becomes the user’s data source when Browse the
Internet through a Virtual Private Network, which means that no Internet Service
Provider (ISP) and other third parties will be able to access the addresses of
websites visited by the user, searches, cookies, data sent by or He receives it
over the Internet.
Advantages of VPN
VPNs have a number of features
that make their use very popular among Internet users, the most important of
which are the following:
● Prevent packet capture
across networks: Through its encryption processes, a VPN acts as a filter that
turns user data such as IP address, geographic location, and activity history
into an air from which nothing can reach outside parties such as snoopers,
hackers, and spyware. The Internet service provider has kept records of users'
activities and the service provider will not be able to share this information
or pass it on to any third party.
● Hide geographical location: VPNs
act as proxies for users across the Internet, allowing them to use servers from
other countries around the world while browsing the Internet to hide their
actual geographical locations, and they do not keep records of users'
activities, which prevents any third parties from permanently accessing this
information.
● Access to regional content: VPN
servers allow users to access the content of websites that impose regional
restrictions on their browsers so that they cannot be accessed from anywhere in
the world. Whereas standard connections use local servers to locate users,
which prevents them from accessing some websites while traveling or while they
are in places that restrict access to that international content, VPNs provide
the use of servers from other countries that do not impose restrictions on
access to these sites, allowing access to these sites. effectively used by
them.
● Secure data transfer: If you
work remotely or from home, like millions of employees around the world who
switched to remote work after the Corona pandemic, you will need to access or
share important files or data with your company or organization over the
Internet. This type of information requires a secure connection to the Internet,
which is provided by a VPN that uses encryption methods and private servers to
limit data leakage.
● Shut down programs in case of
disconnection: A good VPN can detect a sudden drop in the VPN connection as
soon as it occurs, and decide to securely disconnect and terminate pre-set
programs, which reduces the risk of user data being stolen.
Do VPNs protect their users from ransomware attacks?
Both VPNs and ransomware use a
data encryption system, but VPNs only use this method to protect internet
users’ data by masking their Internet Protocol (IP) address, traffic, and
online activity history, not as a means To protect them from the attacks of
some malicious software such as viruses or ransomware. Cyber attackers often
use fraudulent methods to trick web users into downloading and installing
ransomware on their devices such as spam emails, or free games and
applications. VPNs do not impose any restrictions on what a person uploads over
the Internet, so they cannot prevent malware or ransomware from infiltrating
Internet users' devices.
VPNs can, of course, be an
effective and worthy means to protect against the risks of hacking, data theft,
and privacy protection, where encryption of the IP address and hiding activity
history, for example, plays an important role in preventing websites and bots
from accessing the identity and location of the user visiting these sites,
preventing The Internet service provider knows the websites visited by this
user and sometimes restricts his access to some of these sites, but it is not
effective in limiting the user’s exposure to ransomware attacks, as it does not
prevent the user from downloading anything on his device over the Internet
including Malware also does not protect files on devices in case they are
infected, this is the role of good antivirus programs if they are installed on
devices, which alone can detect malicious software as soon as it appears and
hinder its work and remove it in some cases.
The function of blocking network
packet capture, which VPNs perform very efficiently, also indicates that user
files and data are protected from theft only during their transfer to and from
the computer, and VPNs do not encrypt the files already on the device that are
naturally targeted by ransomware.
VPNs, however, allow the use of
additional security tools and programs that help their users to detect malware
and avoid ransomware attacks, such as the NetShield feature in ProtonVPN and
the Threat Manager tool in ExpressVPN programs, and these programs and tools
are no more than good antivirus and antivirus programs It prevents the user
from accessing suspicious websites, especially those known to spread
ransomware.
Does using a VPN cause ransomware attack?
Despite all the aforementioned
advantages, and despite the efficiency and effectiveness of VPNs in protecting
users’ data while they are browsing websites, wrong uses of them can help
ransomware and other malware infiltrate devices. This does not happen during
normal web browsing using VPNs, but it may happen in the case of remote
connection to data networks, as such networks may suffer from security holes
that attackers can exploit to pass ransomware through them. VPN developers
usually update networks regularly to fix these failures and fill this type of
vulnerability quickly, but the slowness of these procedures can sometimes lead
to heavy losses for large organizations and companies due to ransomware attacks
and data theft.
Using weak passwords for different
accounts as well and sharing them with others or writing them on untrusted
sites through phishing technique helps cyber attackers and snoopers to access
user data whether he uses secure internet connection methods via VPNs or not.
How to protect devices from ransomware attacks
We also mentioned that being
vigilant is the main effective principle in protecting devices from cyber
attackers and specifically from ransomware attacks, by following the following
procedures:
● Ensure that you download and
install programs, applications, or games from their original publisher or from
officially recognized sources such as original CDs or the official websites of
software companies, and avoid downloading and installing free, anonymous
programs, games, and applications.
● Do not click on suspicious attachments and links that reach the user via text messages or spam emails, which usually lead to opening malicious websites or downloading malicious software. Attackers often use these methods to push their victims to download viruses and ransomware and install them on their devices.
● Some websites allow the user to
check the correctness of website addresses or URLs, this service may be useful
for checking suspicious links before opening them.
● Using powerful programs and
applications in the fight against viruses and malware, so that they can detect
ransomware, alert the user to it and stop its work as soon as it infiltrates
the devices, and regarding this point, we recommend reviewing our previous
topic: ransomware encryption viruses and protection from them before it is too
late.
● Avoid sharing peripheral devices that use USB
connections, such as external memories, with others without checking them and
ensuring their safety before connecting them to the device, as it is a fast way
for malicious software to spread from infected devices to other devices.
● Use strong passwords for different
accounts, and do not share them with others.
Summary | VPNs by themselves do not protect
Internet users from ransomware despite their ability to encrypt users' data
such as the user's IP address, identity, and physical location, and allow them
to browse and use websites after being redirected to connect to the Internet
through servers It is present in other countries with the anonymity of its online
movement and history, the sites it browses, the searches it makes through
search engines, the cookies, and the data it sends or receives over the
Internet.
The reason is simply that VPNs do
not place any restrictions on downloading and installing various files and
programs through the Internet, which is the means through which ransomware
infiltrates various devices and networks to begin encrypting its files and
preventing the user from accessing them, and perhaps stopping the operation of
the device or the network as a whole. . Therefore, the most effective way to
avoid the dangers of ransomware attacks is to install strong anti-virus and
anti-malware software, while being careful and following the correct practices
while connecting to the Internet, whether this connection is protected by VPN
servers or not.