What are the common elements in ransomware horror stories?

One horror story is about a small business. They got hit by ransomware and all their customer data was encrypted. The ransom demand was huge. They couldn't afford it and had to shut down as customers lost trust when they found out the data was at risk.

A successful ransomware comic strip would incorporate elements like dramatic scenes of data being encrypted and the panic it causes. It could also explain the technical aspects in a simplified manner. And maybe have a hero figure who shows how to prevent or deal with such attacks.

Fear of death is a big element in horror stories. The threat of death, whether it's from a serial killer or a supernatural force, is always present. Also, there's often a sense of helplessness. The characters find themselves in situations where they seem to have little control over what's happening to them. For instance, in 'The Blair Witch Project', the characters are lost in the woods and being hunted by an unknown entity. There's also the use of suspense. Writers build up the tension by delaying the reveal of the horror, making the readers or viewers more and more anxious as the story progresses.

Horror stories often feature a protagonist who is in over their head. They might start out as an ordinary person, like in 'Rosemary's Baby' where Rosemary is just a normal woman, but then they are thrust into a terrifying situation. Settings also play a big role. Abandoned asylums, cemeteries, and old mansions are common settings in horror stories as they have an air of mystery and danger already associated with them.

Isolation. Often, in IT horror stories, the characters are isolated. For example, a lone system administrator might be the only one in the server room when something strange starts to happen with the servers. Another common element is the loss of control. The technology that is supposed to be under human control suddenly starts acting on its own, like a self - driving car going berserk in an IT - related horror scenario.

Food quality issues are common. For example, finding bugs or foreign objects in the food.

Another is the discovery of strange or disturbing behavior during the date. Like the person having extreme mood swings or being overly possessive. For example, suddenly getting angry for no reason or acting like they own the other person right away.

Misleading language. For example, using words like 'free' or 'unlimited' in the CTA but then having restrictions later.

The power of nature is sometimes involved. In Ukrainian horror stories, dark forests can be a source of horror. They are often seen as places where the unknown lurks. People can get lost in them, and there might be supernatural forces at work. Also, bodies of water like lakes might be associated with strange happenings, like the appearance of water spirits.

Isolation is a common one. Just like in the story where a prisoner was in solitary confinement and felt haunted. Another is the presence of unknown and menacing inmates or spirits. In some stories, there are dark, damp and dirty cells that add to the horror atmosphere.