Technology

  You log into the computer, and it boots up. But instead of seeing the welcome screen, you get a dialog box.  "Your data has been encrypted. To recover, pay $$ of Bitcoin." The message also has a countdown timer, which indicates a payment deadline.  Passwords, credit card details, personal videos/pictures all have been compromised. The hacker even threatens to leak everything online. What happened...... Ransomware is a type of malware that encrypts personal data and blocks access to a computer/network. To regain control, a ransom needs to be paid. Usually this is through Bitcoin, or other crypto currencies. On payment, a key is given, which decrypts everything, and returns access to the system.  However, you could be placed in a "Sucker's list" which is sold in the dark web. This can attract more ransomware attacks, in future. History.... Originating in the 90s, the attacks were first recorded in Russia. Since then, it has crossed into Europe and North America...

The Start .... With the advent of industrial age, machines were used to automate process, which were routine in nature. This greatly allowed the reduction in production cost, benefitting the consumers. Earlier Relay Logic Devices   based on electromagnetism, were used to control machinery.  Two circuits, one with an open switch and another with a coil of wire, were placed parallel to each other. When current passes through the coil, it produced a magnetic field. This created a force of attraction, and  the switch closes. The circuit gets completed, allowing the flow of current. This in turn drives a motor or an actuator. Being a cost-effective solution, there were still some downsides. The installation part was highly complex.  A breakthrough came in 1964, when Dick Morely, an American inventor, designed a general-purpose computer to control industrial applications. Known as Programmable Logic Controllers, or PLC, it brought about a revolution in industrial automatio...

  The era of computer age brought a major shift in technology and redefined the way we work, communicate, and entertain ourselves. From OTT platforms to financial transactions, the bits and data move seamlessly through optical fiber cables (OFC), at lighting speed. But, on a parallel path, malware attack has ushered in a wave of cyber-crimes, ranging from identity theft to data hacking. What is Malware... Defined as any software which intentionally disrupts the working of a computer or network system .   This can be in the form of data loss, denial of service (DDoS) attack, or hijack of core computer services.  These attacks are not confined to business or home users, but extend to large industries such as water treatment, or electric substations.   Malwares are classified into different categories. This is based on their attack signature, proliferation and of course, main intent or purpose . Types of malwares 1. Virus The most reputed, virus enter host computer...

The Driving Force.... Microprocessor and Microcontrollers are central to all electronic devices in market today. They form the central brain which coordinates the symphony of processes, be it Data storage, Memory retrieval, Machine learning or Artificial intelligence.  This mediates a constant demand for performance and agility. Here is the main relevance of System on a chip (SOC ) . It is a term denoting a specific architecture, where many components are encompassed on a single chip.  Early 70s, Mainframe Servers contained a Central Processing Unit (CPU), Memory, Cache, Audio/Video converters, all existing as separate devices. They were then soldered onto a single motherboard. This layout drastically reduced processor efficiency, while increasing size.  The approach was also inherently expensive, which is why personal computers were considered Sci Fi fiction, then. However, coming to the 80s, there came a giant step in chip fabrication process. More for less b...