ransomware

noun

ran·​som·​ware ˈran(t)-səm-ˌwer 

: malware that requires the victim to pay a ransom to access encrypted files

In September of 2013, security for small accounting offices changed forever with the appearance of a new class of threats called ransomware. … you open a file attached to an innocent-looking e-mail, and the program encrypts key files and drives so they cannot be accessed. The files are locked until you pay a ransom.

—Dave Mcclure

With ransomware, a hacker slips into a system, then puts encryption controls in place that locks users out. The hackers then demand money to "unlock" the data.

—Elizabeth Millard

Today's ransomware scammers often demand payment in bitcoin because the digital currency is easy to use, fast and provides a heightened anonymity for the scammers, according to the FBI warning.

—Susan Tompor

Examples of ransomware in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Kyber ransomware name comes from the alternate name for ML-KEM, which is also Kyber. —Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 23 Apr. 2026

Cutesy anecdotes alternated with triumphs and tragedies—a school district rescued from a ransomware gang, an iPad salvaged from a plane crash. —Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026

Then, an unexpected ransomware attack shut down our business one morning. —Walter Rowen, Fortune, 16 Apr. 2026

Smart compares its scope to WannaCry, the high-profile global ransomware attack that affected more than 200,000 computers in 2017. —Jessica Klein, PC Magazine, 11 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

2005, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for ransomware

• aftercare
• anywhere
• billionaire
• chinaware
• debonair
• dinnerware
• disrepair
• doctrinaire
• earthenware
• everywhere
• frigidaire
• kitchenware