Gurmeet turned on her computer and found that she could not access any of her files. A message appeared on her screen demanding payment to regain access. The type of malware affecting Gurmeet's system is known as:
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To protect against Ransomware, keep regular offline backups of your critical data on external drives that are kept disconnected from your network.
The scenario described in the question indicates that Gurmeet's computer system is being affected by a type of malware that demands payment to regain access to her files. This type of malware is identified as Ransomware.
Understanding Ransomware:
Ransomware is a type of malicious software designed to block access to a computer system or files until a sum of money (ransom) is paid.
The ransomware encrypts the victim's files, making them inaccessible, and displays a message demanding payment for the decryption key.
This type of attack often spreads through phishing emails or by exploiting system vulnerabilities.
Eliminating Other Options:
Virus: A virus is a type of malware that can replicate itself and spread to other systems, but it does not typically demand a ransom.
Spyware: Spyware is designed to secretly gather information from a user's computer, often for advertising purposes, and does not commonly restrict access to files for ransom.
Adware: Adware displays unwanted advertisements but does not block access to files or demand payment. It is generally less harmful compared to ransomware.
Conclusion: Based on the characteristics of ransomware described and its behavior of demanding payment to unlock files, the most accurate option is Ransomware.