Windows ransomware is malware built to run on Microsoft Windows systems and encrypt files, lock screens, or both, then demand payment for a decryption key. It is dangerous because Windows is widely used in homes, businesses, and servers, so one infection can affect shared drives, backups, and administrative tools.
In real attacks, Windows ransomware often tries to disable recovery before encryption by deleting shadow copies, tampering with backups, or stopping security services. Defenders reduce risk with offline backups, least-privilege access, application control, and fast detection of destructive behavior. If recovery paths are tested and isolated, a ransomware incident is more likely to stay an interruption instead of becoming a prolonged outage.