The rise of ransomware — a scary direction

If you’re a cybercrook, the “next big thing” is the rise of ransomware. Ransomware is a type of malware that locks computer files and deletes them if a ransom is not paid. Typically, the criminal will require payment in bitcoins, which is an untraceable digital currency. For you and me, the rise of ransomware is scary.

The rise of ransomware

Ransomware took hold in 2015 and its use as a tool to extort money has increased substantially in 2016. If there is any good news in these statistics, it’s that you and I are small potatoes. The bad guys have discovered they can make more money by targeting large businesses.

Do you remember back just a few years ago when amateurish emails delivered garden variety viruses? Today, spam filters catch most of those emails. To counter the improvements in spam filters, the messages are now more targeted. Spammers address the email to the recipient in a “spear phishing” attack. In other words, the bad guys are no longer casting a wide net, they’re targeting you and me. The email will still include a link to a website or a file where the malware waits like a ticking bomb. Once you visit the website or open the file, the malware activates and infects your computer files. The malware encrypts the files and makes them unusable until the ransom is paid.

Tips:

So, how do you avoid these attacks? Exactly as you’ve done in the past.

• Use antivirus/anti-malware software you trust.
• Perform regular backups of your computer. (When your backup drive is connected to your computer, it too can be infected.)
• Only click on links from known, trusted sources. Also, be sure someone didn’t forward the email. It’s always safer to go directly to the source rather than clicking a link in an email.
• Using a pop-up blocker can also help. One of the common tricks used by cyber criminals tells you malware or a virus infects your computer.
• Always go to a trusted website for software downloads.