In the news recently, you may have heard the term “Ransomware.” This particular type of malicious attack is a multilayered attempt to lock you out of your computer, and extort money for the promise to unlock it.

The mechanisms used by ransomware can be intimidating to understand, and becoming the victim can be frustrating. In essence, a computer victimized by ransomware is locked, and cannot be accessed by anyone but the person who holds the key. Ransomware attackers will often try to extort victims for money in exchange for the key. Ransomware demands will usually ask for payment in cryptocurrency like Bitcoin.

Ransomware can infect a computer through most of the same avenues as other viruses and malware. You can stay protected from ransomware by using safe browsing practices, up-to-date operating systems, and malware and antivirus programs.

Ransomware sometimes masquerades as a law enforcement action, such as a demand from the FBI to pay a fine. In our experience, no ransomware demand is legitimate. Tech Lab does not endorse paying ransomware extortion in any case. We consider paying ransomware demands to be encouraging and directly funding acts of computer terrorism. Tech Lab will not assist our clients in facilitating ransomware payments. However, we can help you with your computer in other ways.

If your PC has been attacked by ransomware, or you would like to take precautions against it, please contact us! We can help you set up backups, and deploy security tools that will protect you or your company from ransomware. Let us consult with you to help you understand the risks of ransomware, and how to minimize them.

Notes from the Lab: The EternalBlue exploits that were reported in mid May are known vulnerabilities. Tech Lab has verified that our recommended tools for both home users and businesses will protect against the current wave of EternalBlue attacks, including the WannaCry ransomware. The best practices we encourage our clients to follow should result in a minimum window of vulnerability.