Nicole Perlroth writes:
Kidnappers used to make ransom notes with letters cut out of magazines. Now, notes simply pop up on your computer screen, except the hostage is your PC.
Read more on The New York Times. I was interested to read that some researchers estimate that 2.9% of compromised computer owners pay out and that the 2.9% figure may be a significant underestimate in some areas.
This is a double-edged sword. IF you pay the fine, whatever the going rate is ;
1. Most require you to enter a CC number, Paypal, or other method. Now they not only own your PC, they own your bank account as well.
2. Think like a crook – you might pay them, but what keeps them from grabbing money and just walking away? You think the crook is honest after he gets your cash ?
3. Not all antiviruses are created equal. I hate to say it this way but – The Antivirus IS smarter than the average user. many don’t know how to update it or even care if it expires and they don’t get updates. hey, its still on the PC, its still protecting it, right ? WRONG !
If you feel you may fall victim to this sort of hack, then take precautions. Go out and buy a 1TB (one terabyte) external hard drive. This can be plugged in and attached via USB to the back of your computer when needed. When not in use, simply unplug the USB and its safe from the hackers per se.
For the people who know how to reformat drives and reinstall the operating system, you can create multiple partitions or seperate areas on your hard drive. For windows XP, 7 and 8. it should give you an option to do this within the first 3-4 steps of reinstalling an operating. The partition the operating system is should be pretty big. Look at the specs on the side of the box and at least double that space. My C: drive partition is typically 100 GB (gigabytes).
The rest of the drive can be partitioned into a D: drive and formatted. The D: partition is where you can store files, picture and data that not part of the program or operating system. Make a tree of folders on D: and place your created files in those.
On the spare USB external drive, store a copy of all your PC drivers, software and a text file showing any of your serial numbers to the software.
The latest scareware/victimare I have heard of is the one which the hackers say that they are the FBI, and your computer has performed illeagl activities including child porn. That in itself is crossing the line; Its a hoax, but may people rather pay the hoax than have that 0.000001% chance that its the real deal.
Nothing beats common sense. Most of these hoaxes, malware or other nasties reside on websites that are not real trustworthy. The website typically has ad space, and some one buys they ad space making the owner very happy. The owner checks the ad – maybe once- to see it works well, and leaves it be. the hacker on the other end simply changes the ad, or script behind it, and there you have it – a malware ad.
Security on PC’s is there for a reason. People typically have a choice. ease of operation or hoops and security. Many of the defenses are lowered or shut off completely. This is a prime target for the malware makers.
Tough choice for a few – an investment in a removable hard drive at under 100 bucks to keep your valuable files on, or pay the crook in hopes that they dont record your username and password to your bank, or paypal. Then hope that the software completely removes itself, vice lay dormant and strike again, or record your keystrokes, web site visits, and make your PC a zombie and it participates in denial of service attacks.
Buy the stinking external hard drive – store critical files off line on the external. if this happens, worse case you are out another $60.00 for a new hard drive, and an hour to install the new operating system and related files.