County clerk workstations suddenly show ransom notes on the desktop and many files have unfamiliar encrypted extensions. Which malware indicator best matches this activity?
Select an answer to reveal the explanation.
Short Explanation
When files turn into gibberish and a note demands payment, that is ransomware waving a flag. The encryption-plus-extortion combo is the giveaway—not a network flood or a badge skim.
Full Explanation
Ransomware indicators commonly include mass file encryption, changed extensions, and on-screen or dropped ransom messaging that demands payment for recovery. Network flooding alone points to other attack patterns such as denial-of-service or worm-driven scans. Logic bombs are condition-triggered and may not present extortion notes, while RFID cloning is a physical credential attack unrelated to encrypted workstation files.