How To Protect Yourself Against RansomWare
By
Staten Island, NY Posted: 12/16/2015 1:00:00 AM
Unlike regular viruses, this one can't be fixed by an Anti-Virus alone.
The first major "RansomWare" attack was a virus called "CryptoLocker". I created this video a few years ago to help people understand and prepare for this new breed of virus that can permanently destroy every file on your computer.
Before CryptoLocker, the goal of most viruses was to either make money by displaying pop-up ads, or in some cases trick you into giving them a credit card number by asking you to pay for an Anti-Virus. Once you give them your credit card number, they usually make a bunch of purchases until the credit card company cancels the card and they need to use another victims card number. As bad as that is, RansomWare is worse.
Instead of pop-up ads and fake anti-virus links, CryptoLocker made money by destroying every file on your computer, then asking for ransom to get them back. It does this by encrypting every data file on your computer with an unbreakable military grade password. Eventually all your photos, videos, spreadsheets, accounting files, and just about any other file becomes useless, unless you can crack the password, which is impossible. Making matters worse, if you have a network or file server, CryptoLocker will not only encrypt all the files on your own computer, but every file you have access to on all your network shares. This is serious.
It's pretty easy removing the virus, but the damage is done. You simply can't get the files back without that password, which only the criminals have. Then, they insert a bunch of ransom notes in every folder telling you how to pay them to get the password using a form of untraceable Cyber Currency, such as BitCoins, which are the electronic equivalence of cash.
The people behind CryptoLocker were eventually caught somewhere in Russia, after raking in tens of millions of dollars in ransom, but there have been countless copycat attacks with names like TeslaCrypt, CryptoWall, CryptoDefence, RansomCrypt, etc.
It's important to know that although you can easily remove the virus, there is no way to get your files back without a GOOD backup.
The video is a bit long, but what is more important than watching the entire video is that you become aware of this horrible virus and how to take steps to prevent it from destroying your files.
IMPORTANT: Even if you have a backup, it's important that you have multiple versions backed up, because a daily backup that overwrites the prior day's backup will essentially be erasing your good backup with the bad versions of the files.
Your best defense is to have at least a few sets of backups taken a day or so apart. Never use the same backup two days in a row, or you are risking complete loss.
Another option is to back up using a cloud service like iDrive, that not only backs up your changed files every day, but it keeps 30 versions of each file, so if it backs up an encrypted file, you can restore the version from a day or two before.
Be informed. Spread the word. Get started on those backups.
Joe Crescenzi, Founder
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