Skip to main content

CYBER ALERT! How to protect your computer from ransomware




Image result for ransomwareRansomware is a type of malware that prevents or limits users from accessing their system. This type of malware forces its victims to pay the ransom through certain online payment methods in order to grant access to their systems, or to get their data back. Some ransomware encrypts files (called Cryptolocker). Other ransomware use TOR to hide C&C communications (called CTB Locker).

The ransom prices vary, ranging from £16 ($USD 24) to more than £425 ($USD 600), or even its bitcoin equivalent. It is important to note, however, that paying for the ransom does not guarantee that users can eventually access the infected system.
Users may encounter this threat through a variety of means. Ransomware can be downloaded by unwitting users by visiting malicious or compromised websites. It can also arrive as a payload, either dropped or downloaded by other malware. Some ransomware are delivered as attachments to spammed email.

Once executed in the system, a ransomware can either (1) lock the computer screen or (2) encrypt predetermined files with a password. In the first scenario, a ransomware shows a full-screen image or notification, which prevents victims from using their system. This also shows the instructions on how users can pay for the ransom. The second type of ransomware locks files like documents, spreadsheets and other important files.
How to protect your computer from ransomware?
  • Make sure you have updated antivirus software on your computer
  • Ensure that you have malware protection as well as anti-virus software on your computer. (Some anti-virus products have a malware checker embedded)
  • Don’t open emails from addresses you don’t know
  • Hover over links before you click on them, if you think the address is suspicious, don’t click
  • Enable automated patches for your operating system and web browser
  • Have strong passwords, and don’t use the same passwords for everything
  • Use a pop-up blocker
  • Only download software—especially free software—from sites you know and trust (malware can also come in downloadable games, file-sharing programs, and customized toolbars)
  • Don’t open attachments in unsolicited e-mails, even if they come from people in your contact list, and never click on a URL contained in an unsolicited e-mail, even if you think it looks safe. Instead, close out the e-mail and go to the organization’s website directly
  • Use the same precautions on your mobile phone as you would on your computer when using the Internet
  • To prevent the loss of essential files due to a ransomware infection, it’s recommended that individuals and businesses always conduct regular system back-ups and store the backed-up data offline.



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

10 Important Cybersecurity Practices for your Business

  10 Important Cybersecurity Practices for your Business 1. EDUCATION  It’s much easier to prevent a hack than it is to recover from a hack. Once your company’s sensitive data is stolen through a ransomware attack, recovering it is often a long and arduous process. Teaching employees about basic security, personal cybersecurity, and the prevalence of cyber threats goes a long way in stopping ransomware attacks before they can really do damage. Your employees should understand that they might be targets of malicious actors, eager to exploit any entry they can find in your company. The average cost of a cyberattack is 3.86 million and the cumulative total for global cybercrime is expected to cost $6 trillion. If you don’t pay to train your employees about cybersecurity best practices eventually you may end up paying more in the long run. High quality and free trainings for your employees are available from several government resources including Department of Homeland S...
Post a Comment
Read more
Top 20 Most Asked Third Party Risk Questions for Vendors  These questions help organizations assess the overall risk posed by third-party vendors, covering critical areas like data protection, regulatory compliance, and incident response. Here’s a list of the Top 20 Most Asked Third-Party Risk Management (TPRM) Questions for Vendors in TPRM questionnaires: 1. What types of sensitive data do you handle for our organization? Vendors should clarify the types of data they collect, process, or store, such as personal information, financial data, or intellectual property. 2. How do you protect data at rest and in transit? This question probes into the encryption methods, protocols, and security controls in place for safeguarding data during storage and transmission. 3. Do you have a formal Information Security Program in place? Vendors should describe their overall cybersecurity framework, including policies, procedures, and governance. 4. How do you manage user access to our data and s...
Post a Comment
Read more

Nearly 500,000 workers are needed in cybersecurity roles around the country

The push to work from home during the coronavirus pandemic is straining cybersecurity professionals around the country tasked with ensuring workers are able to not only work efficiently from remote locations — but to do so safely. This rapid shift is a tall order for an industry that was already in need of skilled professionals long before the pandemic took hold.  Cybersecurity workers were taken off some or all of their typical security duties to assist with other IT-related tasks, including equipping mobile workforces, according to an April survey from global nonprofit (ISC)2, the largest association of certified cybersecurity professionals. The survey of 256 cyber pros found nearly half were re-tasked and that a quarter said cybersecurity incidents increased since the transition to remote work, with some seeing as many as double the number of incidents. Separate data from another nonprofit cybersecurity group, the Information Systems Security Association, found a 63% increase in...
Post a Comment
Read more