Q&A: What is ransomware, and how big is the threat?

Another holiday weekend in the U.S., another ransomware attack that has paralyzed businesses around the world.

This time it’s affecting an untold number of small and big companies that use IT software from a company called Kaseya.

High-profile ransomware attacks in May hit the world’s largest meat-packing company and the biggest U.S. fuel pipeline, underscoring how gangs of extortionist hackers can disrupt the economy and put lives and livelihoods at risk.