Facing Down The Growing Threat

Ransomware has been gaining steam in recent months, and companies are just starting to become aware of the threat it poses to their businesses, Stephen Cobb, senior security researcher at San Diego-based Internet security vendor ESET, said.

Ransomware is a type of malware that, when successful, restricts access to a company's critical data in exchange for a ransom amount. For hackers, this approach is starting to pay off, Cobb said, and the data around the number of ransomware attacks is starting to skyrocket. However, that doesn't mean there isn't anything companies and partners can do to protect themselves, he said.

"This is a problem we have to deal with now," Cobb said. "What happens down the road will depend on how well we respond." Here are five things Cobb said partners should know about ransomware to get ahead of the curve.