Abstract
Ransomware is a recent form of malware that encrypts the files on a target computer until a specific amount (ransom) is paid to the attacker. As a result, in addition to aggressively spreading and disrupting victim’s data and operation, differently from most cyberattacks, ransomware implements a revenue model. Specifically, it creates a hostage-like situation in which the victim is threatened with the risk of data loss and forced into a negotiation.
In this paper, we use game theory to approach this unique aspect of ransomware, and we present a model for analyzing the strategies behind decisions in dealing with human-controlled attacks. Although the game-theoretical model does not contribute to recovering encrypted files, it can be utilized to understand potential prevention measures, and it can be utilized to further investigate similar types of cybercrime.
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Caporusso, N., Chea, S., Abukhaled, R. (2019). A Game-Theoretical Model of Ransomware. In: Ahram, T., Nicholson, D. (eds) Advances in Human Factors in Cybersecurity. AHFE 2018. Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing, vol 782. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-94782-2_7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-94782-2_7
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