Nasty new malware locks your files forever, unless you pay ransom

[noisycheese]

Heads up, everyone:

Nasty new malware locks your files forever, unless you pay ransom

http://www.today.com/money/nasty-new-malware-locks-your-files-forever-unless-you-pay-8C11511655

 

[hipsterdufus]

Scary stuff. A good reason to have a backup with revision history. Currently using crashplan, since they have that feature.

 

[Sejanus.Aelianus]

Couldn't read that particular story on my iPad. This is nothing like new, though. Scams of this nature have been around for several years.

I don't go as far to defend against these as one colleague, who only uses browsers and mail inside virtual machines. If one gets infected, he simply deletes the whole machine and copies a new one into place!

Bit of a puzzler for the bandits, I imagine. 😀

 

[Sparrow]

I think the key bit there is ... "According to Sophos" ... anybody care to check who sophos is and how it makes money?

 

[Rogier]

:angel:Glad I am on a Mac

 

[drew.saunders]

Our security folks where I work have seen a few people hit by this. The only way to fix it is by reverting to a backup. Even if you do pay, they don't give you the information to unlock your files (they're not just criminals, they're liars!!!). Sophos is an anti-virus company, but this malware is real and does lock you out of your files.

 

[daveleo]

Thanks for the reminder - I am doing backups this morning.

I use Linux, so I don't think this *.exe is my problem, but you know "sh#t happens" - do backups.

 

[Tin]

I am on a mac, so no problem. The Mac does require a administration password for any install -- but I am still careful. .

I do not use a Mac, but on my PC, I set it up so that only when sign on as an Administrator that files can be installed without entering the Administrator Password. If I signed in under my own name, I need to authorize any installation with the Administrator Password. That I hope will give me a chance for a second look. Of course it is a bit more inconvenient for most of the time.

For computer experts out there - is there any merits of such setup?

Tin

 

[frank-grumman]

Sophos is an anti-virus software certainly for Mac. I dk if it's for Windows or not.

 

[Addy101]

Keep your internet protection up to date - nothing really new here. Ransomeware is around for some time and don't be lured into a false sense of security just because you're using Apple. That's all.

 

[zauhar]

I do not use a Mac, but on my PC, I set it up so that only when sign on as an Administrator that files can be installed without entering the Administrator Password. If I signed in under my own name, I need to authorize any installation with the Administrator Password. That I hope will give me a chance for a second look. Of course it is a bit more inconvenient for most of the time.

For computer experts out there - is there any merits of such setup?

Tin

Does this malicious program actually install itself in a system directory, or does it just go in the background and happily chew on your files?

On Macs you can't open an executable file attached to a mail message without jumping through a hoop, I would expect the same thing applies in windows??

Randy

 

[alienmeatsack]

Speaking from many years of experience as IT in the Windows and Mac world: backup, backup, backup.

I Ghost all of my Windows computers when they have a fresh install of Windows, then a second Ghost when the user data, apps etc are installed. And I do a Ghost anytime we do any installs or updates of any major kind.

On the Mac side, Carbon Copy Cloner or SuperDuper! are my weapon of choice.

Image your drives, put those images safely somewhere for easy access in case of emergency.

Always backup your treasured photos and music and documents often to many different sources. Never trust anything you get form anyone online. I can't tell you how many times someone in my family or in our office has received mail from a hacked friend or business associate that has a virus, malware or other nasty attached and they just open it right up without thinking twice.

No computer is completely free of these nasty things. No antivirus works 100%, in my experience, most anti-virus apps let bad things through. We've tried most all of them here and even with 2-3 different apps running in the background, malware, viruses etc still get through.

Sadly, until they start making it a crime and actually punishing people for making these things, they will keep doing them in droves. Your only recourse is to backup often to multiple sources and use basic common sense when receiving files.

 

[colyn]

I clicked on the attachment several times and could not get it to work.... 🙁 🙁 🙁

Does this mean my Linux computer is broken?? 😎 😎 😎

 

[Bill58]

Don't even THINK about opening any spam mail!

 

[lam]

I just had the awful thought of if camera manufacturers locked features on the camera then you had to pay to access them.. "Dang it I can't afford 11fps.."

 

[noisycheese]

I just had the awful thought of if camera manufacturers locked features on the camera then you had to pay to access them.. "Dang it I can't afford 11fps.."

Don't give them ideas... 😎

 

[MrFujicaman]

And people wonder why I think the people who write and deploy such software should be tortured to death ?

 

[MikeAUS]

:angel:Glad I am on a Mac

This won't save you. Mac can get virus/malware as well ...

 

[Rogier]

This won't save you. Mac can get virus/malware as well ...

I yet have to encounter the first one with a real virus!
There was only once a hack in a Java Script / Adobe flash plugin that looked like something scary but did not do a thing.

The only way to get malware on a Mac if you are stupid (cheap) enough to knowingly install software from an unreliable source. (Hacked photoshop any one ? :bang: :bang::bang🙂

If you have a current OSX OS it will even warn you and you have to make an effort to install software form an unrecognized vendor :angel:

I service Mac's for a living and have been asked with help with what one thought was a virus but was just user error.

 

[3rdtrick]

I just had the awful thought of if camera manufacturers locked features on the camera then you had to pay to access them.. "Dang it I can't afford 11fps.."

Or what if photo software companies disallowed you access to your work files if you fail to keep paying them???