A Systematic Literature Review on the Taxonomy of Ransomware Attacks

Abstract

Ransomware attacks actively threaten different entities including individuals along with businesses while endangering fundamental infrastructure through software weaknesses and deceptive email practices. The absence of standardized classification criteria in modern ransomware taxonomies hinders effective threat information sharing. This lack of uniformity also complicates response coordination. The research develops an extensive classification structure to systematize ransomware attack categorization by examining vector encryption techniques and ransom payment approaches. The research adopted a systematic literature review approach which aligns with PRISMA standards to study existing taxonomies before suggesting an enhanced classification scheme. Standardizing threat classification establishes better techniques to detect attacks respond to incidents and develop security policies which enable intelligence sharing. Security professionals will receive an organized system for ransomware classifying through these findings which leads to enhanced threat forecasting and cyber defense capabilities against developing threats. Keywords: Taxonomy, Ransomeware attack, vulnerabilities, Detection, Malware.