Don’t Panic – Ransomware
At a time when Ransomeware is in the public eye such as the NHS do expect a surge in Fake Ransomeware attacks on the back of that.
Ransomeware attacks can be scary, however people can be so terrified that they’ll pay the ransoms even when their computers aren’t actually infected.
Unlike most malware, it’s loud and obnoxious, and if you’ve been infected, you will know as the attackers will tell you so in no uncertain terms.
Your personal files are encrypted,” the message on the computer blares. “Your documents photos, databases, and other important files have been encrypted with strongest encryption and unique key, generated for this computer.” “If you don’t pay the ransom — typically within 48 to 72 hours — your files are deleted”
Is it real or fake?
Don’t pay up straight away! There is a chance it could be fake infection (Social Engineering). In such cases, your files aren’t actually encrypted; the attacker simply pops up a scary message and locks the screen. The ransom demand typically shows up inside a browser window and doesn’t let the user navigate away, or it locks the screen and displays a dialog box asking for an encryption key. Because the victim can’t close the message, it looks real.
If it’s possible to close out of the screen using key commands, such as Alt-F4 on Windows and Command-W on Mac OS X, then the ransom demand is fake. Or try force-restarting the device and see if the message goes away.
Digital Attack Map of Malware Attacks
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