Ransomware is 35 years old and now a billion-dollar problem. Here’s how it could evolve

Nothing to see here, move along please?

 

I actually remember that ransomware wasn't really a thing until 2008 or so? Most HIPS weren't focused on it, but Neoava Guard was one of the few who monitored ''rapid file modification''. The real question is why operating systems like Windows still don't have built-in protection against this stuff.

https://freeware.fandom.com/wiki/Lists_of_freeware_behavior_blockers

 

Or whale.com in DOS era? Pure friggin art of malware coding back in time. I think it was the first virus that used several very advanced techniques, like polymorphic mutation, code cipher nesting etc, which nowadays viruses use.