Wanna know what ransomware is?

Intruders are able to steal our cash using sophisticated methods as technology improves. We receive short messages on our mobile phones and in our mailboxes with links to photos or programs that "interest us" However, in reality they are malware which take over our computer or mobile device.

For instance, you could place an advert on an advertisements platform for selling a product. You will receive an SMS within a couple of hours, with an offer to swap your product for another one. The message also has a link to the images of the product. If you access this link using an Android device, you download a special software, which sends all your cash to accounts belonging to the intruder.

Another well-known method of attack is to send out mail messages with a hyperlinks and text that induces the user to click the link. You might get a job offer from an intruder and need to complete the form through this link. Your computer or mobile device will then be infected by trojans, or a "keylogger" that takes data from your hard drive and then records keystrokes. The attacker can then employ these information to target your computer. The attacker will be able to study the data and discover your passwords. This could be used to obtain personal information or to steal money.

What exactly is ransomware?

Ransomware is an entirely new method of earning money for the intruders, and is inspired by human psychology. In this case, when you click on a link your device is blocked and you are presented with a message that reads: "You need to transfer 100$ to gain access back to your device and stop loss of data. "

Most of the time, the program code changes autorun files or the registry when you click on these hyperlinks. The user will then see this message. If you do transfer money, it will not alter anything, and you will not have access to your device.

However, there are more serious versions of ransomware which can wipe all information on your device. It is important to note that malware doesn't make backups. Therefore, your information is gone forever, and no one can return it remotely.

Thus, it is necessary to employ antivirus or specially designed scripts to fix your system. Don't transfer money to intruders!

How do you safeguard yourself?

It is vital to ensure that the antivirus database is up-to-date. In most cases antivirus software can stop infection of the operating system.

Then, you should regularly backup your files regularly. Use a removable external hard drive or cloud-based services for this. If you lose data from your device, you can easily restore it without difficulties.

Be vigilant, and that's the most crucial thing. According to research the majority of times malware is infected on a computer or mobile device when you open an attachment to a letter from your mailbox, for example when you open an attached image. Unknown recipients could send you attachments that are not appropriate to open. To shield yourself from such messages, make use of temporary mailboxes. This will hide your identity on the web and block any messages that are suspicious. According to statistics, temporary mailboxes are less vulnerable to such attacks as their time of use is limited.

Summary

Be careful not to open mail from unknown individuals and never open attachments in such mails.

Don't send money to an intruder when your device is locked. Your device will not be unlocked. Use anti-virus software or scripts to solve the problem.

Utilize disposable mail as it helps protect yourself from emails that contain malware.