The past two years has seen a dramatic increase in ransomware, malware such as the infamous CryptoWall that encrypts data on the infected device and demands a ransom payment for the decryption key. One interesting side effect has been an unexpected focus on the level service that the cybercriminals provide to their victims while trying to make sure they pay up.

Ever since this strain of malware has been on the internet, security experts have universally urged victims not to pay the ransom. Part of the reason for this is that it perpetuates the scam, incentivizing criminals to get into this business and spread it to more victims. Another major reason – and the only one that the scam’s victims are likely to care about – is that there is no guarantee that paying the ransom would persuade the scammers to return the files safely. They could just as well make off with the money or demand further payments. Meanwhile, the victim loses both their files and the money they paid to get them back.

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