How to prevent Ransomware Threats that lock down your files or encrypt them? Here is the best guide.
Ransomware Threats Introduction
Ransomware Threats are one of the most rapidly growing cyber threats. This is because they are relatively easy to make and distribute, and they are very profitable. Ransomware Threats are designed by hackers to encrypt all your files.
They will ask you to pay a ransom to get the key that is needed to decrypt your files. Most ransomware threats use strong encryption algorithms such as RSA-2048 or AES-256. These are extremely hard to break.
That is why you need to take action right now before it’s too late. A good example is CryptoLocker, which has been around since September 2013. CryptoLocker was distributed via malicious email attachments and infected thousands of computers within a very short period.
How Do Ransomware Threats Work?
There are 2 main methods that Ransomware Threats use to encrypt your files. CryptoLocker uses the first method, which is also known as a symmetric cryptosystem. This means that a secret key is used when the file is encrypted.
The secret key is the same for all files that are encrypted, and it is used only once – after that it’s deleted by the malware. Since only one key can be used, no one other than you can decrypt your files. This is without knowing the secret key first.
To make sure that you cannot restore your files from backup, CryptoLocker deletes all Shadow Volume Copies from Windows Explorer. The only way you can restore your files is after getting infected with CryptoLocker. Also, this includes other cyber threats if you have saved some of them on removable media such as CDs/DVDs or external hard drives.
CryptoLocker then uses its Command & Control server (C&C) to send a message with the public key and instructions on how to pay the ransom. This is to get the private key needed to decrypt your encrypted files. Once this process is done, a timer countdown of exactly 3 days starts on your computer screen.
If you don’t pay the ransom within 3 days, all your files will be permanently deleted without any chance of recovery.
How To Protect Your Computer From Ransomware?
There are multiple ways in which Ransomware Threats can infect your computer. But most of them rely on tricking you into installing them to work. The best way to avoid getting tricked into installing Ransomware Threats is to always keep your operating system and applications up-to-date at all times.
Most website-based Ransomware Threats are designed to exploit vulnerabilities that are known to the vendor. But they haven’t been patched yet. You can check if your operating system and applications are up-to-date by visiting their support websites.
A good example is Adobe Flash Player, which has been one of the most exploited software products lately. That is why it’s important to keep it updated at all times. So, the other way how Ransomware Threats can infect your computer is by opening malicious email attachments on a computer.