Skip to main content

No More Ransom: Europol launches advice site for victims of ransomware

europol ransomware advice header
vanbeets/123RF
Europol, the EU law enforcement agency, has launched a new scheme in partnership with cybersecurity companies and national police forces to help people infected with ransomware.

The No More Ransom Project provides consumers with information on known decryption keys and data recovery options. Given the ever-evolving strains of ransomware, the site’s aim is to spread awareness about security best practices, maintaining backups, and encouraging victims to report their cases to police.

Intel Security, Kaspersky Lab, and the Dutch national police force are collaborating with Europol on the public-private project. The No Ransom Project said it expects more companies and organization to join the collaboration in the future. The site plans to add more decryption keys as they come available.

Ransomware, which locks down a victim’s device by encrypting the files and demanding a ransom, has become a serious concern for EU law enforcement according to Wil Van Gemert, Europol’s deputy director of operations. “Initiatives like the No More Ransom project shows that linking expertise and joining forces is the way to go in the successful fight against cybercrime,” he said.

People can download the decryption tools that are already available on the site but are urged to read the how-to guides before attempting to decrypt their infected files. Several ransomware types are covered at this early stage, including CryptXXX, TeslaCrypt, and Shade.

“This collaboration goes beyond intelligence sharing, consumer education, and takedowns to actually help repair the damage inflicted upon victims,” added Raj Samani, EMEA CTO of Intel Security, who urged the need for public-private cooperation to tackle cybercrime. “By restoring access to their systems, we empower users by showing them they can take action and avoid rewarding criminals with a ransom payment.”

Often, individuals that have been infected by ransomware have no other option than pay off the ransom, as they lack awareness or the skills to retrieve their files. The recent success of ransomware tactics of cybercriminals has only emboldened others to follow suit.

In the United States, the FBI has issued guidance to people about ransomware, advising victims not to pay the ransoms.

Jonathan Keane
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Jonathan is a freelance technology journalist living in Dublin, Ireland. He's previously written for publications and sites…
Best Mac Mini deals: Save over $100 on an Apple desktop
Apple Mac Mini 2018

The Apple Mac Mini is a unique desktop computing option, as it comes in a small form factor that won’t take up much space on a desk. It’s also part of Apple’s new Apple Silicon lineup, which means newer models will pack quite a punch when it comes to performance. Apple’s popularity usually keeps its products from seeing substantial discounts, but we’ve found some out there. A couple could be considered some of the best Apple deals you’ll come across today. If you’re simply looking for a deal on a Mac, consider some iMac deals or MacBook deals, but if you’re sold on some savings for a pint-sized PC that fits within the Apple software ecosystem, read onward for the best Mac Mini deals worth shopping today.
Apple education pricing for new Macs and iPad -- multiple price points

Whether you're a newly accepted college student, returning student, faculty, staff, or homeschooling teacher, of any grade level, Apple offers its education pricing program for discounted hardware rates. That means you can grab an Apple Mac Mini for great prices that won't empty your wallet or bank account before the school year. A bevy of devices are included, not just the Mac Mini, such as MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, displays, and beyond.

Read more
Microsoft just discovered the next big evolution in displays
Resident Evil 4 running on the LG UltraGear 45 gaming monitor.

Microsoft is working on a new patent that aims to bring unprecedented levels of control to displays. The new tech, dubbed Pixel Luminesce for Digital Display, allows you to micromanage every single pixel of your display, adjusting the brightness as needed. If and when this makes it out of the development stage, it could end up being huge for all sorts of use cases, and could bring major improvements to some of the best gaming monitors.

The patent application describing the tech, first shared by Windows Report, describes the new technology as something that would enable selective dimming. With Microsoft's new tech, you could decide that one part of the display stays brighter while the rest of it remains unaffected, and this would happen dynamically.

Read more
These are the 10 best gaming PCs I’d recommend to anyone
Graphics card in the CLX Hathor PC.

We review dozens of gaming PCs each year. In 2024, there are a ton of great options, but we've narrowed down a list of the 10 best gaming desktops that deserve your hard-earned money.

In 2024, we still recommend the Alienware Aurora R16 due to its fantastic design, solid performance, and decent value. However, there are several other options depending on your needs and budget. If you want a deeper look into how we evaluate gaming PCs, make sure to read our post on how we review desktops.

Read more