According to TAPintoNewark, the online newspaper in Newark, Jersey, someone is shaking down the City of Newark for 24 Bitcoin (about $30,000) in a ransomware attack.

How did this happen?  TAPintoNewark explains:

The RSA-2048 maleware typically infects a user’s computer when they are tricked into running an attachment in a spam email. Once the maleware is launched, it encrypts files and requires a “private key” to open them. The private key is only provided after the user pays the ransom.

Why would a user open an evil email and then run an evil attachment?  Because the email is a carefully crafted work of deception created to trick the user into the compromising action.  You can fight back against ransomware attacks by using SP Guard.