The recent WikiLeaks drop of CIA documents has raised awareness of the reality of cyber-threats and espionage, and how digital infrastructure in America and around the world is under threat thanks to hacking attacks and ransomware, James Lyne told Tom Costello on NBC’s Today show.

In the two-part segment, James and Tom Costello talked about the threats and took a closer look at ransomware.

US infrastructure is at ‘red alert’ for hacking, expert says

In Wednesday’s instalment of Today’s Hacking of America series, James Lyne explained to Tom Costello that it’s not just our personal privacy that’s at risk, but also the nation’s critical infrastructure. Watch Video.

Hackers want to hold your data for ransom: how to stop them

And in the second instalment, James talked in more detail about ransomware with Tom and explained what you can do to keep your personal data safe. Watch Video.

James has been on a roll of late. In January, he sat down with CNBC to discuss threats affecting devices that make up the so-called Internet of Things (IoT).

Want to know more about ransomware and the dark web?

Here’s a selection of Sophos research and explainer articles you might like:

• Learn more about Tor, the free software most commonly used to access the Dark Web.
• Learn about “Satan”, the ransomware service you can sign up to for free.
• Learn how to stay protected against ransomware.
• Yes, Macs get ransomware, too! (In this case you can recover for free – we show you how.)

Blog post originally appeared on Sophos.com.