Ransomware Prevention and Protection
In recent months, a very dangerous malware spread around the world and “infected” millions of vulnerable computers. Computers in more than 100 countries have been affected in just a few hours. WannaCry (which means “Wants to cry”) is so named because it is a ransomware: software designed by criminals that takes your data hostage until you have paid the ransom money.
How to protect yourself? There are various ways, as long as you act quickly.
What is ransomware and what exactly does WannaCry do?
As I explained above, this is a malware that takes advantage of a security hole to infiltrate your computer and take your data hostage.
A traditional virus infects your computer for the purpose of being reused to cause attacks on websites, for example, or to steal your personal data (banking or credit card information, passwords, etc.) without your knowledge.
Ransomware, on the other hand, will encrypt all your data, making your computer unusable and your data inaccessible. You cannot run your security software, even after restarting! To get rid of this nuisance and recover your personal or professional data, you must then follow the instructions on the screen and send a payment to cybercriminals.
The sum generally requested is around $ 400, in the form of Bitcoins, a virtual currency. Worse, again, the more you wait or try to get rid of this problem, the more the amount may increase!
WannaCry, a ransomware of another kind.
Deciphering (or decrypting) a disk or data without knowing the key is already almost impossible. According to the researchers, WannaCry is based on ETERNALBLUE, a kind of trojan created by the NSA (National Security Administration) in the United States, on which a group of hackers would have got their hands last months.
What makes WannaCry particularly dangerous is that once it infects a computer, it will try to spread to other computers in the same way: take advantage of the fact that a Windows computer was updated with all the security patches released by Microsoft.
The beginning of the end for WannaCry?
It is believed that the first infections happened through email. The user clicked on a link or opened an attachment and his computer was infected. The problem is that sometimes the malware does not activate immediately. They stay dormant for a few days or weeks, giving computers as much time as possible to become infected and then activate, causing maximum damage.
A computer security researcher named malwaretechblog, on Twitter, looked at the source code of WannaCry and noticed that it was trying to connect to a website whose domain name had not been registered (in short, the website did not exist yet). The researcher has registered the domain name in question and WannaCry has stopped working, unable to spread!
Microsoft had been aware of the security breach for few weeks, because of the NSA’s leak story , and developed a patch, included in a recent Windows update. But not everyone keeps its copy of Windows up to date and this made it easier for cybercriminals behind WannaCry. In addition, many computers are still running on Windows XP, a version that has not been supported by Microsoft for years. Unable to be updated, these computers were the most vulnerable and therefore constitute a large part of the pool of infected computers.
If the spread of WannaCry is stopped for the moment, infected computers are still infected. And cybercriminals are probably already working on a variation of this security hole.
FAQ about malware threats
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What is going on?
Cybercriminals use malicious software called ransomware, which hijacks data on Windows computers by encrypting files, rendering them unusable and requiring payment of a “ransom” before they can restore access. This type of criminal activity has already occurred before, but this new attack seems to be the most widespread ransomware attack to date. It has spread to more than 100 countries.
How do I know if it’s happening to me?
These cyber criminals have designed their ransomware system to modify your wallpaper to present their ransom demands and instructions on how to comply with them. This desktop image is unavoidable and inevitable. The wallpaper will change almost immediately after infection. Once this happens, your data, technically speaking, has been encrypted. In concrete terms, they have been rendered unusable.
How can I avoid this attack?
First, be sure to have automatic updates enabled for your computer’s operating system and all applications. Next, make sure you have Installed the latest antivirus software on your computer. If you do not have one, you can search and buy one. Finally, be careful when you open attachments or click on links that are unknown to you or when you use public wireless networks.
What else can I do?
It is always important to back up important data on an external device or on the cloud. Note that if you are using an external hard disk, it is advisable to unplug it from your computer when it is not in use so that the files are not affected if your computer is infected. Cloud storage is available through a number of third parties, including Google, Apple, Microsoft, and Box.http://www.Vancouver-ITeXpress.com
If in doubt, please call Vancouver Computer Repair Services, an agent will be able to conduct a vulnerability assessment to ensure that your PC has received the latest updates from security.
If I’m infected and do not have my data backed up to the cloud or an external hard drive, what can I do?
Specialists in this field do not advise paying ransom because there is no guarantee that your data will be accessible after payment. Essentially, you pay at your own risk. In addition, it is thought that people making payments could be targeted in the future for additional ransom attacks.
If I’m infected and my data has been saved, what should I do?
If you have backed up your files, it is possible to “rebuild” your computer using these saved files. If you know the process, you can do it yourself. However, be aware that your computer may infect other computers on your network, so take appropriate precautions.
You can also request the assistance of our expert at Vancouver-ITeXpress.com. You can come to the store for help, or we can come to your home or help you over the phone.
If my computer is infected, how can I avoid infecting other computers on my network?
This form of ransomware can affect other computers on the same wireless or wired network. If you discover a ransomware system on your computer, you should turn off the device immediately and take the appropriate precautions before turning it back on. This includes turning off Wi-Fi or unplugging wired connections on all other computers in your home.
