Cyber criminals are using a new strain of a
virusmalware known as "ransomware" to freeze private computer files until the owner pays to unlock them.
http://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/security-experts-you-should-never-pay-ransomware-hackers-n299511
A type of malware that holds a user's computer files hostage has claimed at least a million victims, ranging from individuals to small businesses to, in at least one case, a local sheriff's department. Security expert say hackers have been using CryptoWall, a family of "ransomware" programs that "lock up" files on a computer, to extort money from computer owners. The Dickson County, Tennessee, sheriff's office recently paid $622 in bitcoin to hackers who encrypted the department's criminal case files, making them inaccessible to investigators.
... Experts say Goss did the right thing and that victims should never pay computer hackers' ransom demands.
"Absolutely not. You are likely never to get your files back," said Kevin Haley, director of Symantec's Security Response. "On the positive side, if none of us paid the ransom, these guys would go out of business."
So what's a computer user to do to minimize the risk of becoming a victim of ransomware?
Experts recommend:
- Keep your software security updated.
- Don't click on unrecognized emails and websites.
- Back up your files, then disconnect the external hard drives.