different between ransom vs ransomware

English

Etymology

From the Middle English ransoun, from the Old French raençon, from stem of Latin redemptio. Entered English ca. the 13th century. Doublet of redemption.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??æns?m/

Noun

ransom (usually uncountable, plural ransoms)

1. Money paid for the freeing of a hostage.
   • 1674, John Milton, Paradise Lost, Book XII:

     Thy ransom paid, which man from death redeems.

   • 1612, John Davies, Discoverie of the True Causes why Ireland was never entirely subdued

     His captivity in Austria, and the heavy ransom he paid for his liberty.

   • 2010, Caroline Alexander, The War That Killed Achilles: The True Story of Homer's Iliad:

     As rich as was the ransom Priam paid for Hektor, Hermes says, his remaining sons at Troy “'would give three times as much ransom / for you, who are alive, were Atreus' son Agamemnon / to recognize you.'”

2. The release of a captive, or of captured property, by payment of a consideration.

   • Till the fair slave be rendered to her sire; And ransom-free restored to his abode

3. (historical, law, Britain) A sum paid for the pardon of some great offence and the discharge of the offender; also, a fine paid in lieu of corporal punishment.

Usage notes

• "held for ransom" is much more common in the US, "held to ransom" in the UK.

Derived terms

• king's ransom
• ransom strip
• ransomware

Translations

Verb

ransom (third-person singular simple present ransoms, present participle ransoming, simple past and past participle ransomed)

1. (14th century) To deliver, especially in context of sin or relevant penalties.
2. To pay a price to set someone free from captivity or punishment.

3. To exact a ransom for, or a payment on.

   (Can we date this quote by Berners and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?).

Translations

See also

• bail

References

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary: Tenth Edition 1997

Anagrams

• Armons, Manors, Marons, Marson, Romans, Rosman, manors, morans, mornas, normas, ramson, sarmon

English

Etymology

From ransom +? -ware.

Noun

ransomware (uncountable)

1. (computing) Malware that holds the data of a computer user for ransom, usually requiring or claiming to require payment to restore access.

   Hypernym: malware

   Hyponyms: cryptolocker, cryptovirus

   • 2008, Markus Jakobsson, Zulfikar Ramzan, Crimeware: Understanding New Attacks and Defenses, p. 375:

     The amount of money generated by ransomware schemes would appear to be quite small given their lack of popularity and the asking price in ransom notes […]
2. (computing, derogatory) Software that is released as open source only in exchange for payment.
   • 2013, Mano Paul, Official (ISC)2 Guide to the CSSLP CBK, Second Edition, page 622:

     [I]n some situations, the source code of COTS may be escrowed and released under a free software or open source license when the original developer (or supplier) no longer continues to develop that software or if stipulated fundraising conditions are met. This model is referred to as the ransom model of software publishing and the software is known as ransomware.

Translations

Further reading

• ransomware on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Czech

Etymology

Borrowed from English ransomware.

Noun

ransomware m

1. (computing) ransomware

Declension

Synonyms

• vyd?ra?ský program
• vyd?ra?ský software

Further reading

• ransomware on the Czech Wikipedia.Wikipedia ^cs

Dutch

Etymology

Borrowed from English ransomware.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?r?n.s?m????r/, [???n.s?m?w???]
• Hyphenation: ran?som?ware

Noun

ransomware m (uncountable)

1. ransomware

   Synonym: gijzelsoftware

Spanish

Noun

ransomware m (uncountable)

1. ransomware