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Data Theft vs Data Lock (Exfiltration vs Ransomware)
Comparison card: Data Theft vs Data Lock (Exfiltration vs Ransomware). Easy English, with a real example. Scan the QR for the full lesson.
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What each one is
Exfiltration: the attacker copies data out to themselves. Your data still works, but it is now stolen.
Ransomware: the attacker locks your data so you cannot use it, and asks for money.
How they differ
Exfiltration hits confidentiality (secrecy). Ransomware hits availability (can you use it).
Many modern attacks do both: steal first, then lock.
Example
Exfiltration: 20 GB uploaded at night to an unknown IP.
Ransomware: files renamed to .locked across a share in minutes.
How to spot
Exfiltration: watch for big uploads and odd DNS traffic (DLP, Data Loss Prevention).
Ransomware: watch for mass file changes. Backups help you recover; they do not undo theft.
Learn more in the lesson: 39.10 Detecting Data Theft (DLP)