Ransomware
Ransomware is a type of malware that encrypts the files on your computer and then demands that you pay a fee to have your files un-encrypted. It can also spread, for example, to other PC’s or external drives, on your home network.
US-CERT (United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team) recommends the following preventative measures to protect your computer:
If you believe your computer has been infected with malware, US-CERT recommends the following:
Remember that a particular risk emerges when you connect any number of Internet-capable technologies to your smartphone through smartphone applications. These may include health and fitness trackers, home security systems, and even baby monitors. Any and all information (e.g. personal data such as passwords, bank account information, location information, personal photos or videos) relying on the Internet through a smartphone could be targeted with ransomware.
Learn to use your smartphone without compromising data privacy:
http://www.educause.edu/discuss/constituent-groups-about-information-technology-management-and-leadership/cio-constituent-group/ransomware
http://www.educause.edu/blogs/vvogel/using-smartphone-apps-safely
US-CERT (United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team) recommends the following preventative measures to protect your computer:
- Do not follow unsolicited web links in email messages or submit any information to webpages in links
- Use caution when opening email attachments
- Maintain up-to-date anti-virus software
- Perform regular backups of your systems to limit the impact of data and/or system loss
- Keep your operating system, application software and anti-virus software up-to-date with the latest patches
If you believe your computer has been infected with malware, US-CERT recommends the following:
- Immediately disconnect the infected system from your wireless or wired network. This may prevent the malware from further encrypting any more files on your network
- Change all passwords AFTER removing the malware from your system.
- Consult with a reputable security expert to assist in removing the malware
- You can retrieve encrypted files by the following methods: Restore from backup or from a shadow copy.
Remember that a particular risk emerges when you connect any number of Internet-capable technologies to your smartphone through smartphone applications. These may include health and fitness trackers, home security systems, and even baby monitors. Any and all information (e.g. personal data such as passwords, bank account information, location information, personal photos or videos) relying on the Internet through a smartphone could be targeted with ransomware.
Learn to use your smartphone without compromising data privacy:
- Check the legitimacy of any application before downloading it, and routinely check the privacy settings and information accessed even by applications you trust.
- Remove any applications you no longer enjoy or find useful; having old games or forgotten applications accessing the smartphone creates an additional vulnerability to malicious updates.
- Change passwords regularly and install security updates will also help mitigate an attack.
- Foremost, carefully consider whether to leave applications logged in, reserving this for those apps where the potential loss of information is worth the increased efficiency of leaving the phone less secure.
- Lastly, protect your smartphone and its applications from attacks by refusing to connect to unencrypted, unfamiliar networks or directly allowing USB contact with outlets.
http://www.educause.edu/discuss/constituent-groups-about-information-technology-management-and-leadership/cio-constituent-group/ransomware
http://www.educause.edu/blogs/vvogel/using-smartphone-apps-safely