Should I pay a ransom? A 5-step decision-making process

It's the kind of note that grabs you by the shirt and doesn't let go: "All of your files are stolen and encrypted!"

The next thing you read is the extortion demand: pay up, or else.

In this scenario, your organization has a limited amount of time to ask a series of critical questions before making the ultimate choice.

By asking and addressing questions in the right sequence and gathering all the necessary information, organizations will be in a better position to make a reasonable call. This 5-step decision-making tree can help the organization do that.

Here are the questions to ask and how to proceed, depending on the answers.