Beware of Ransomware

Beware of Ransomware. There has been a resurgence of the Locky Ransomware virus. It is being mass emailed with a new disguise, this time as an email with the subject ''Spam mailout''. The email will have a short paragraph accusing you of sending spam. It will also have an attached zip file claiming to be a log of the spam sent by you. The zip file is what will get you into trouble. Opening it will set things in motion for you to download and run the ransomware. There are several variants of ransomware but their purpose is the same - to take your money. Once the ransomware is on your computer, it will search for certain types of files. It's a very long list of file types but includes: documents, pictures, email, spreadsheets, and many more. All of these files will be encrypted. A ransom note will be left for you in the folders containing these now encrypted files. The ransom note will give you instructions on how you can purchase a decryption program and key to unlock your files. Don't be a victim twice! This is a trap to get your credit card or banking information and will likely not help you get all your files back. The only safe way to get your files back is from a good backup of your data. If you are not regularly backing up your data, it's time to start! Keep a local and off-site copy of your data. Please do not open attachments you were not expecting. Even emails coming from people you know can be infected with ransomware. Having a good up-to-date antivirus program helps, but you must be vigilant too. Please like and share this article to help get the word out. //Antler We do IT World-Class!