Dangerous Malware
Dec 26, 2013 07:04:51 #
I read this on BBC news last night, online. About 250,000 Windows computers, mostly in the US and UK, have been hit by a ransom virus/trojan/worm. It is a very well-written program, so it seems like the only safe course of action is to avoid it. It arrives in an email with a zip file attached. If you run the program, it will take over your machine and hold it hostage till you pay with Bitcoin. Users who have paid have regained use of their machines, but there's no guarantee how quickly the hijackers will respond.
I've been getting zip files in my email for weeks, and I just delete them.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-25506020
I've been getting zip files in my email for weeks, and I just delete them.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-25506020
Dec 26, 2013 07:08:45 #
Dec 26, 2013 07:25:08 #
jerryc41 wrote:
I read this on BBC news last night, online. About ... (show quote)
Nice to see an American spending time watching our news programmes, Jerry !! They come from here - pics taken this last week end with my Fuji X-E1 ........ oh, and that article does give advice on how to avoid that malicious malware.
BBC News Centre, London
Interesting angle
Broadcasting House with News Centre behind the church
Dec 26, 2013 07:51:52 #
jerryc41 wrote:
I've been getting zip files in my email for weeks, and I just delete them.
I've been getting zip files in my email for weeks, and I just delete them.
EXACTLY what should be done with ANY file you receive that you are not expecting, especially from someone you don't know!!
ZIP, DOC, DOCX, XLS, XLSX, etc can all have 'macros' embedded in them so that just opening the files runs that 'macro' or program to infect your computer!! A 'good' anti-virus or malware program will HELP keep it from happening, but just DON'T OPEN those attachments that you have not requested!!
Dec 26, 2013 10:26:08 #
jerryc41 wrote:
I read this on BBC news last night, online. About ... (show quote)
A good reminder.... A "recent" trend with this type of email is to use a name you are familiar with...a family member or someone from your email list. Hacking of email is getting more common.... so it's wise to change your passwords frequently....
Dec 26, 2013 10:52:40 #
Dec 26, 2013 11:02:29 #
I'm a computer guy and up to this point we've been able to roll back most machines to a point in time before the infection using the System Restore function in Windows. This new variant encrypts your hard drive before asking for the ransom. You're really out of luck at that point. A good online backup like Carbonite or Mozy has versioning in it, meaning you can go back to the way your files were up to a month ago or so. Attached external hard drives and/or network drives may even be subject to these bad guys scrambling them. I wish these guys would spend all of this intellectual capital curing cancer. Apparently, the money is bigger doing this. I also look at the BBC, I spend a good deal of time in Africa doing mission work and like a different perspective on world events.
Dec 26, 2013 12:40:55 #
Mr PC wrote:
I'm a computer guy and up to this point we've been... (show quote)
I had a scare about a year ago. I now do routine backups on an external hard drive using Time Machine. It saves each version. So far, I've been fortunate. I don't leave it connected.
Dec 26, 2013 13:03:31 #
jerryc41 wrote:
I read this on BBC news last night, online. About ... (show quote)
Sounds like another one of those nasty ones similar to the FBI virus that went around. Very difficult to get rid of. Thanks for the info. Try, at all cost, to avoid this one. Have a GREAT DAY!
Dec 26, 2013 21:22:40 #
jerryc41 wrote:
I read this on BBC news last night, online. About ... (show quote)
Thanks for the warning.
Dec 27, 2013 02:50:59 #
If the US Department of Homeland Insecurity is honest about their efforts to protect Americans here and abroad, they ought to be able to trace this sort or thing back to its source. But there I part with typical American policy. I think a Rapid Response Team from another country, one with a backbone should visit the offenders and post their heads on pikes in a public place like St. Peter's Square. A couple of responses like that and I think such activity will become somewhat less frequent.
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