WANT ANOTHER REASON TO KEEP YOUR SYSTEM UP-TO-DATE AND YOUR VIRUS DEFINITIONS CURRENT? Ransomware is type of malware that holds your files or whole system hostage until a ransom is paid. Unbelievable. While varieties of Ransomware are not many, they are out there and it pays to understand the two main types and how they operate. Typically, Ransomware arrives as an attachment to an email with a innocent sounding name. When launched, it installs a program that begins encrypting your Documents folder and then tells you have to pay to download the encryption key to unlock your files. Alternatively, another type of Ransomware threatens to start deleting files unless a payment is made. The message will tell you to send a payment or buy some merchandise, or else some random file will be deleted every 30 minutes until you do. In both cases, DO NOT send them money. If you do, you will be out the cash, potentially exposing your credit card to criminals, and your computer will still be messed up. They already have your money, sending you anything in return further risks disclosing their location and identity to authorities. In fact, the risk of being caught due to having money sent to them is the primary reason the incidence of this kind of virus is low. Better to spend the money on getting someone to clean your computer. The major antivirus programs are already familiar with the Ransomware variants and have no problem stopping them. ‘RansomA’ is a hoax – it doesn’t do anything except demand money in return for not deleting files. ‘Trojan.Archiveus’ is a Trojan horse that password protects files, and then offers to sell the victim the password to unlock the files. According to Symantec, the genius behind this program left the password in the program and the password is mf2lro8sw03ufvnsq034jfowr18f3cszc20vmw. Other variants are named Gpcode, TROJ.RANSOM.A, Krotten, Cryzip, and MayArchive ‘FileFix Pro’ is another Trojan that encrypts file and then pops up a fake windows message box saying some Office files have been corrupted and then offers to automatically fix it by downloading FileFix Pro. It only fixes one file for free and then tells you the rest will be fixed if you pony-up $50. This is unnecessary, however, because a number of security companies have developed downloadable tools that will decrypt the files for free. Sharp-eyed readers will already have spotted a simple step to prevent infection from any kind of malware – namely, how exactly does a something install if you are operating your computer as an ordinary user without install/uninstall privileges? Good question, because it can’t unless you are running your computer as an administrator. New computers automatically create the first account with administrative privileges – meaning the account can install, uninstall, and make major system changes. The ordinary or regular user account can run programs, save files, delete files, etc, but cannot install, uninstall or make major system changes. All smart computer users are advised to leave the administrator account alone except or installing or uninstalling programs. Use the ordinary user account for day-to-day activities.
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