Ransomware has taken the place of common kidnappings and roadside carjackings, giving people some relief. But ransomware can be a very tricky enemy that is capable of emptying out not only the contents of our wallets, but your bank accounts. Even if it does not threaten our lives literally, there is still much to be lost when this crafty piece of malware attacks.
Ransomware Deserves More Credit
The Web is full of information about keyloggers and Trojan viruses and a lot of other common tools that are used to attack unsuspecting computer users. But we don’t often hear much about ransomware. This sophisticated type of malware is designed to take control over a device and render it useless to its owner. The point is to hold it hostage until the owner pays a sum of money. Attackers sometimes pose as computer repair experts who just happened to notice the defect, while others send a blatant message demanding payment to release the device back into the control of its user. And in the end, there is no guarantee that the device will really be unlocked. Most users just embolden these criminals by handing over their cash.
Ransomware has gone on for many years, but has not been paid due attention until recently. One guy here and there being asked for a few hundred dollars to “fix” his computer is not headline material. Ransomware rakes in large sums of money as a whole, but not enough at once for the public to take notice of it. A few months ago, however, a big company was hit up for a very noticeable sum that gave ransomware the recognition it deserves. Internet extortion has leveled up with the development of advanced techniques that help ransomware upset bigger targets.
One of the types of advanced ransomware that we should watch out for is called CryptoLocker. This has created a huge headache for both groups and individuals over the past few years. It is a descendant of the AIDS Trojan created and run by a group that called themselves the PC Cyborg Corporation. This piece of ransomware began holding PCs for a 189 dollar ransom way back in 1989. Much the same as today’s curse, CryptoLocker, it would apply encryption to all the files on a computer until the requested “fee” was paid to unlock them. The difference is that CryptoLocker is asking for sums of about 400 US dollars.
OphionLocker and Cryptowall are two other new variants of ransomware that are causing misery all over the world. OphionLocker uses the elusive elliptic curve cryptography (next generation encryption using advanced algorithms) to lock users out of their computer systems. This ransomware will accept only anonymous Bitcoins, making it harder to trace the culprits behind the attack. The criminals also employ a Tor2web URL for sending payment instructions. Cryptowall is made more powerful by its use of a modern exploit kit known as RIG. RIG uses malvertising (a method of delivering malicious advertising) to send Cryptowall into a system to apply super strong 2048-bit RSA encryption to a computer’s files.
Protection from Ransomware
We are very happy to announce that there is a relatively straightforward way to shield computers from ransomware attacks. It all begins with safe surfing practices. The key is to avoid being infected by any type of malicious software in the first place. This means not visiting websites or using applications that are known to carry viruses and malware. A good rule of thumb is to also avoid websites altogether if they do not offer HTTPS, or secure HTTP.
Being safe also means not going online at all without a professional antivirus suite and firewall system. These security tools, along with all the other software on the device, should be kept updated, regardless of where they came from. All the issued patches for these pieces of should also be applied immediately. A VPN will do a lot to help keep a system secure by encrypting the user’s traffic. Data and traffic encryption s what keeps criminals from seeing any information that might lead them to think the user is a good target. It also keeps them from knowing what that information is in case they targeted the user in another way.
A very sound precaution hat should be practiced by all computer users is to back up all the files on a computer, or at least those ones that cannot be easily replaced. A full system backup is also recommended so that any machine that is held for ransom can be restored easily. This means that there is no data loss and the user does not have to gamble on whether or not the attackers will release their hold. They simply do a reformat and everything can go back to normal without giving up a dime to the criminals.
