It's nothing new, but a recent news item caught my attention: malware that encrypts your files and holds the data to ransom. How does this work?
Well, the first step is obviously getting infected with the malware in question. Most recently, the news item was talking about a new variant of the Gpcode virus. You might get this from installing software, or even visiting a web page... you know the drill. What makes this type of malware different is that it's just a new spin on plain ol' extortion.
The malware systematically goes through your documents (typically office documents, photos, etc.) and encrypts them using a secret key known only to the malware author. It then sends you an e-mail letting you know that you can decrypt (or unlock) your documents for a small fee... and provides an e-mail address to contact to arrange payment.
So, heed the standard advice: keep your system up-to-date. Run anti-malware software such as antivirus and anti spyware scanners. And best of all... keep regular backups! After all, you can just pull the unencrypted copies from your backup and keep the malware author scrounging for money :-)
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