The NotPetya ransomware may not actually be ransomware at all — it could be something worse

Is ransomware still ransomware if its goal is purely to destroy?

This is less if-a-tree-falls hypothetical and more sobering reality for the untold number of people across the globe whose computer systems have been infected with the NotPetya ransomware. That's because the latest digital scourge to cripple computer networks in 65 countries (and counting) doesn't fit the typical ransomware mold.

Instead of just encrypting users' files and holding those files ransom, NotPetya appears to do permanent damage to computer systems.