FBI Warns Computer Files Held For Ransom Escalating

If you think your computer files are safe — THINK AGAIN!

Over $300 million dollars have been paid by individuals, businesses, police departments, and various other organizations to access their computer files again once they have been hacked. And, recently, a business in Lemoore was attacked as well.

HOW ‘RANSOMWARE’ WORKS

Quite simply, thieves try to extort money from you to unlock your Internet-connected computer, usually via credit card payment or some form of money transfer.  The latest method of payment they are requesting is Bitcoin which is almost impossible to trace according to the FBI.

While you might think there’s a live person on the other end, ransomware is usually a Trojan virus written by a tech-savvy scam artist at an earlier time – but the threat is just as serious.

Ransomware can be spread in several different ways, be it spam that led to a “phishing” attack or via a so-called “drive-by download,” where a browser’s vulnerability is exploited should you visit specific malicious websites.  It can also be spread by people calling you and saying they are from a legitimate organization and need to remote in to your computer to fix a problem or access data on your computer.  Never allow this until you have verified they are legitimate.

Even if you pay the ransom to un-freeze the computer, there’s no guarantee the thieves won’t do it again. Thieves are netting between $60 and $1,000 to unlock a computer.  Increasingly, attackers are holding data hostage through high-end encryption and threatening to delete the information forever if the fee isn’t paid within a specified time limit.

First thing you will notice is your computer is frozen and you can’t access your files.  Sometimes there is a screen that pops up with the extortion message with a countdown clock.  If you get an extortion message, never pay the criminals to release your computer.

Instead, try to restore your Windows computer to a prior state using “System Restore” (type System Restore in the search window). If this doesn’t work, restart your computer in “Safe Mode” (usually by pressing F8 when booting up) and then run Internet security software to remove the threat.  In order to restore, you MUST have a back-up file to restore to.  BACK-UP OFTEN and off-site.

If you are a Bressler & Company terminal server client, your QuickBooks files are on our server, but nothing else.  So BACK-UP, BACK-UP, BACK-UP – daily if not weekly.

HOW TO FIGHT IT

You can protect yourself from ransomware in a few ways:

— Back up your important files on a regular basis. You can use an external hard drive, online (“cloud”) service, USB flash drive or recordable media (such as a disc).

— Use computer security software that protects your PC (and wallet) against viruses and spyware attacks, and be sure to update the definitions quite often — if it’s not set up to do this automatically (which is recommended).  Also be sure to keep your operating system updated with the latest version.

— Delete suspicious emails from your bank, ISP, credit card company, and so on, instead of clicking on the link that takes you to a phony site asking you for personal information. Never click on attachments you’re not expecting. Same goes for your mobile phone, perhaps with a text message from a seemingly legitimate source, but in fact it’s a “smishing” attempt (SMS phishing scam).

— When browsing the web, think before clicking on links and banners. Authors of ransomware also like to use pop-up windows that warn you of some kind of malware on your machine. Don’t click on the window — instead, close it with a keyboard command or by right-mouse clicking on your taskbar.

— You might even get a phone call from a live person who says they’ve been contacted by your Internet Service Provider to fix a problem (which doesn’t exist). After you follow their instructions they’ll likely be in control of your computer (via remote desktop software) and will then try to extort money from you for them to release your files.

— Don’t install programs from untrusted sources.  Only download and install apps and software from verified sources like official websites and app stores.

Because of its open-source nature, Android phones might be more vulnerable, so users might consider anti-malware software to protect the mobile device — but  iOS (Apple) users aren’t immune to ransomware attacks either.

— Be cautious about using free Wi-Fi hotspots (such as at a coffee shop) or public computers (such as in an airport lounge). You never know what nearby cybercrooks are scheming to get a hold of your information.

If you’re a Bressler & Company client and have any questions about how to protect your files, give us a call.  Our Tech Department will be happy to discuss with you — 559.924.1225.

Article information taken from USA Today, Mark Saltzman

If you would like more information about these scams, check out the recent post by the FBI.