A Game-Theoretical Model of Ransomware

Abstract

Ransomware is a recent form of malware that encrypts the files on a target computer until a specific amount (ransom) is paid to the attacker. As a result, in addition to aggressively spreading and disrupting victim’s data and operation, differently from most cyberattacks, ransomware implements a revenue model. Specifically, it creates a hostage-like situation in which the victim is threatened with the risk of data loss and forced into a negotiation. In this paper, we use game theory to approach this unique aspect of ransomware, and we present a model for analyzing the strategies behind decisions in dealing with human-controlled attacks. Although the game-theoretical model does not contribute to recovering encrypted files, it can be utilized to understand potential prevention measures, and it can be utilized to further investigate similar types of cybercrime.