# What Is Ransomware and Why Should You Care?

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-backup-wrap-up-758069/what-is-ransomware-and-why-should-you-care
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-backup-wrap-up-758069/what-is-ransomware-and-why-should-you-care.md
Podcast: [The Backup Wrap-Up](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-backup-wrap-up-758069)
Published: 2026-01-19T11:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://www.backupwrapup.com/what-is-ransomware-why-care
Audio file: https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/32c25085-341a-4efb-880e-0a8e0275e177.mp3
Processing state: not_requested
JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-backup-wrap-up-758069/episodes/what-is-ransomware-and-why-should-you-care
Duration seconds: 1843

## Resource

What is ransomware, and why does it remain the number one threat to businesses of all sizes? In this episode of The Backup Wrap-up, W. Curtis Preston and Prasanna Malaiyandi break down the fundamentals of ransomware attacks and explain why the question "what is ransomware" still gets searched tens of thousands of times each month. We cover the two main types of ransomware attacks: traditional encryption-based attacks where hackers lock your data and demand payment, and the newer double extortion model where attackers steal your sensitive information before encrypting it—then threaten to publish everything if you don't pay. Our hosts share real-world examples including the Sony hack, the Costa Rica government attack, and the massive Jaguar Land Rover breach that cost over $2.5 billion. Whether you're a Fortune 500 company or a small dental office, this episode explains what is ransomware, why you're a target, and why preparation is your best defense.

## Actions

- request_transcript: `POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-backup-wrap-up-758069/episodes/what-is-ransomware-and-why-should-you-care/transcription-requests` — Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode.
- read_markdown: `GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-backup-wrap-up-758069/what-is-ransomware-and-why-should-you-care.md` — Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource.

A page view does not enqueue transcription. Agents should invoke `request_transcript` explicitly when they need this episode processed.

## Transcript

Full transcripts are not published on public pages unless there is a clear rights basis.