Which ransomware is known for infecting millions of unpatched servers by using RSA-2048 asymmetric encryption?

Which ransomware is known for infecting millions of unpatched servers by using RSA-2048 asymmetric encryption?

• A. Dharma
• B. SamSam
• C. eCh0raix
• D. Worms

Answer: (B)

The concept here is how ransomware uses RSA-2048 to secure data and the way certain families spread through networks. This particular ransomware is known for targeting servers and moving through large networks by exploiting unpatched systems, which allowed it to encrypt data on many machines across those networks. It uses RSA-2048, an asymmetric encryption method, to lock the data so that only the attacker, who holds the private key, can decrypt it. That combination—server-focused infection vectors and strong RSA encryption—made this family notable for widespread impact on unpatched servers. Other options don’t fit as well. Some ransomware families do use RSA-2048, but they typically spread through phishing or user-level access rather than indiscriminately hopping across millions of servers. Others target different devices or employ different propagation methods, so they don’t align with the described pattern of large-scale server infections.

The concept here is how ransomware uses RSA-2048 to secure data and the way certain families spread through networks. This particular ransomware is known for targeting servers and moving through large networks by exploiting unpatched systems, which allowed it to encrypt data on many machines across those networks. It uses RSA-2048, an asymmetric encryption method, to lock the data so that only the attacker, who holds the private key, can decrypt it. That combination—server-focused infection vectors and strong RSA encryption—made this family notable for widespread impact on unpatched servers.

Other options don’t fit as well. Some ransomware families do use RSA-2048, but they typically spread through phishing or user-level access rather than indiscriminately hopping across millions of servers. Others target different devices or employ different propagation methods, so they don’t align with the described pattern of large-scale server infections.