Cryptoviral Extortion: Evolution, Scenarios, and Analysis

Abstract

“Cryptography” is a blessing to cyber security. People can store information securely and communicate privately over long distances. It is rapidly advancing and improving, but it is also making a ladder for cryptography-based viral attacks. This paper gives better understanding of the concept of “Cryptovirology” which presents how cryptography can also be misused in the world of cyber crime. Cryptovirology gives malware enhanced privacy and such malwares are not easily reverse engineered. Moreover, it gives the attacker enhanced obscurity while the Cryptovirus is communicating with attacker. Loss of access, confidentiality and leakage of critical data can be achieved with the help of same cryptographic concepts. Analysis and understanding of such attacks leads us to many fascinating methodologies and conclusions.