Free Ransomware Recovery Service Celebrates Third Anniversary

Last Friday marked the third anniversary of the “No More Ransom” initiative that has helped more than 200,000 victims of ransomware recover their files free of charge since it was first launched in July 2016. The initiative is a public-private partnership, which includes Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre (EC3), that offers the victims of ransomware an alternative solution to losing their files or having to pay the demanded money to the criminals. By visiting No More Ransom, victims can access decryptor tools for 109 different types of ransomware. The efforts against GandCrab demonstrate the success of this effort. Since the release of the first GandCrab tool in February 2018, nearly 40,000 people have successfully decrypted their files, saving roughly $50 million in ransom payments. Steven Wilson, head of the EC3, said, “When we take a close look at ransomware, we see how easy a device can be infected in a matter of seconds. A wrong click and databases, pictures and a life of memories can disappear forever. No More Ransom brings hope to the victims, a real window of opportunity, but also delivers a clear message to the criminals: the international community stands together with a common goal, operational successes are and will continue to bring the offenders to justice.” Read the press release at Europol.