There is a new type of malware being spread around. This one is particularly heinous. Here’s what can happen:
- The user clicks a link in an email. The emails are particularly well designed to look like legitimate email.
- The links runs a program.
- The program encrypts ALL of the documents on your hard drive AND any attached drives.
- You get a notice to pay hundreds of dollars to unencrypt your data.
- There is a deadline and a countdown clock begins.
There is no remediation for this. If you install this, there is no way to get your data back unless you actually pay the fee and they unencrypt your data.
How can you prevent this?
- Do NOT click on links in email. If you get an email from your bank or something else that looks legitimate, open a web browser and actually type in the web address in the Location bar.
- Well, see #1.
- Keep an non-connected back up of your data.
- Keep a versioned back up.
Again, this virus is different. Most other viruses, an expert could clean up your computer and get things back to where you were. This one can destroy your data in way in which no computer expert (not event the NSA) can reclaim.