Issue 22.15
If you know anyone who has been the victim of this new threat, you know how devastating this particular scam can be. You know you have been infected if your screen displays a notification that your computer has been encrypted and that you no longer have access to your files. They publish an account that you can send money to through bitcoin (an alternative currency in the computer world) and if you don’t do it, they indicate that the price of getting control of your computer back will double in a short time (usually 2 or 3 days). The price most of them seem to be asking is around $300-$400. I guess that is what they think most people will be willing to pay.
In the past, hackers used the same basic approach but tried to convince you that you were paying a fee for a government or industry entity to unlock your computer. They indicate you are paying the fee or fine because they found child porn or pirated software on your computer or you have unresolved debts to the IRS or some other bogus information. Now they have brazenly decided they don’t have to camouflage who they are – they can just attack your system and require you to pay. The saddest part of all this is they usually don’t fix your system after you pay – they just disappear. What they are doing is already illegal. They have no reason to help you out once they have your money.
In many cases, they actually have encrypted your data and you can’t fix it without the encryption key they promise to give you when you pay. In some cases, they have just blocked your access and your data can be recovered by a good tech. It is important to immediately turn off your computer and get your professional to evaluate it as soon as possible. Many of these viruses infect more files the longer they exist on your system.
How can you protect yourself? The first thing is to be sure you have a good anti-virus program and that it is totally up to date at all times. You also need to make sure your OS (Operating System) has received and installed all security updates. Microsoft is trying to plug the holes that allow this type of thing, but it is difficult because they keep changing their attacks even as Microsoft counters them. I also recommend using Anti Malware software. Malwarebytes has a free version and a commercial version that both work well. Manufacturers like Kaspersky, Esset and Sophos are leading the charge on the anti-virus side, but Norton, AVG and Avast are also doing well. AVG and Avast have free versions of their software that are effective but don’t have all the bells and whistles of the commercial versions.
Second, don’t open emails or click links unless you are sure they are legitimate and safe. Be especially cautious if they come from a source you do not recognize.
Finally, (and I know you have heard this from me before), make sure you have a good current backup of all your important files so you can recover if you are ever attacked in this way or if you have an equipment failure. I recommend an external hard drive AND a cloud storage solution such as I-Drive or Carbonite. If you get hacked, call your computer professional right away and (you guessed it) always remember to back up anything on your computer that is important to you.
Shaun McCausland has worked in the computer industry for over 33 years, 26 years of it locally with Bits ‘N’ Bytes and Musicomp and currently does in-home and on-site computer consultation, service, training and repair. If you have questions you can reach him at 435-668-7118 or shaun@musicomp.net.