A windows virus to look out for

http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/features/security/3491195/how-protect-yourself-from-cryptolocker-attack/

Usually it sneaks into a system disguised as an email attachment and, if opened, then proceeds to encrypt the files on your machine. When this has completed the virus deletes itself and tells the user that their data has been taken hostage and will only be released if they pay the demanded ransom for a key. These style of attacks were first reported in Russia back in 2004, with the Gpcode trojan horse. Security analysts at Kapersky labs were able to crack the hold Gpcode had over data by exploiting mistakes the author had made in the code.

Now it’s back and this time the encryption is rock solid.

CryptoLocker is the latest Ransomware virus to strike unsuspecting users, and so far it’s proven impossible to crack. What’s more, it doesn’t just take all the data on your hard drive.

"It also searches for files on all drives," reported Steve Gibson on the Security Now podcast, "and in all folders it can access from your computer: including workgroup files shared by colleagues, resources on company servers, and more. Anything within its reach it encrypts...so if you have hot online backups they’re victims of this. Essentially the more privileged your account is, the worse the overall damage will be."



Read more: http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/features/security/3491195/how-protect-yourself-from-cryptolocker-attack/#ixzz2n3RiYZ5D

  

Thanks, I've passed on the link to several family members who have their own businesses, as it seems to target such people.

There's no need to "look out" for this particular virus - it's just one amongst thousands - nor send the article on to other people unless they're computer geeks. That long article could have been reduced to the final paragraph as that's the only bit relevant to most computer users. It said :

"The most important though is to never, ever open a file or link in an email or on a social website unless you’re sure it was deliberately sent by the person themselves. It may seem interesting at the time, but the results could be utterly catastrophic."

I am sure you are right, I just came across this one as particularly nasty, from some other IT forums.