What is Ransomware? Your next imminent attack!
Ransomware is a type of malicious code that blocks part of your system or folders, encrypting all your data and hiding the key so the user cannot decrypt it. Once the operating system is infected, all information stored by the company or individual will be encoded/compromised. A notice is given, and from that moment on, the user no longer has control over the infected machine. The data or the key to decrypt is only released upon payment. It's like a "virtual kidnapping" where payment is usually demanded in bitcoin (a non-traceable virtual currency), and there is no guarantee at all that the kidnapper will provide the key to recover your data. Hence the explanation for the word 'ransom'. Although seen as a recent security problem, ransomware is not a new concept: the first references to this type of digital plague date back to the late 1980s, where the virus copied data from memory and the system, erasing all HD content. There were cases where the user didn't pay any money, but could only recover their data if they scored in a game displayed on the screen. In other cases, there were malwares developed to extort money from the victim. The difficult detection of ransomware and the disguises it brings are the factors that make it so dangerous. This plague can infect your PC in various ways, and the main entry points are: email, browsing compromised or malicious websites, vulnerabilities in operating systems and software, suspicious links, installation of vulnerable apps or pirated program files, or the famous keygens (license generators). No other online malware/virus is as terrifying as ransomware. And although there are several types, generally they all block files on a machine and hold them hostage until the ransom is paid. The incidence of new ransomware families and variations in attack and infection attempts continues to grow, and like the flu, it is a mutating virus. The explanation is obvious: the internet facilitates their propagation and dissemination. And since this type of plague can generate large amounts of money for criminals, it is believed that they will not disappear from the market anytime soon.How should I protect myself?
The ways to protect yourself from this harmful virus follow the same lines of care as avoiding other malicious codes. Below we have listed some good practices that can be adopted and practiced regularly, which will certainly help to counteract this type of attack:- Make frequent backups of all your files (or the most critical/important ones) in order to protect your data. Thus, if infected, the only way to regain access to your files will be through backup, whether in the cloud or on external devices (HDs, pendrives, CDs, etc.). Ideally, the backup should be performed automatically without any human intervention. After all, where there is human intervention, there is failure. Additionally, a professional backup tool provides much greater security and integrity guarantees;
- Be careful, distrust everything, when accessing suspicious links and strange emails, such as those fake ones from banks or the IRS, or with ads for stores and unmissable promotions. No free lunch, airlines don't give free tickets if you share something, and there is no such thing as a free iPhone for the first to register on a website. Cybercriminals distribute these types of messages to entice users to click on a malicious link to distribute malware. If you can maintain in your company (or family) an efficient form of web browsing content management, you will achieve much more security;
- Enable options like "Show file extensions" in your machine's Windows settings. This will make it easy to identify malicious files, especially those with extensions like .EXE, .VBS, and .SCR;
- It is essential to routinely update your operating system, browser, and other programs to close security holes that hackers discover daily. Microsoft, for example, releases two or three updates per week for its products. And don't think it's because Microsoft isn't secure, but rather because it dominates the market and thus undergoes much more investigation of vulnerabilities by hackers. As well as Android for smartphones. And yes, there are indeed malwares for iOS (Mac), Linux, or any other computing system; the concerns should be the same;
- Create an integrated and monitored security environment to ensure that all these security practices are extended to each new online network ecosystem, allowing for centralized coordination and analysis;
- Hire extra web protection, or a robust antivirus that can protect your system from this attack called Ransomware;
- Train your employees not to open emails of unknown origin;
- Keep servers and workstations always updated and implement a control and security policy;
- Structure and document access permissions for files and systems.