Al Lustie's Tips and Tricks

I have had to learn about Cryptolocker, a very nasty form of malware that attcks Windows computers.  Let me give you some information about it.

Try going to:  http://blog.malwarebytes.org/intelligence/2013/10/cryptolocker-ransomware-what-you-need-to-know/

to learn a LOT about it.  It will not tell you how to prevent it.  It will not gell you how to fix your files when they have been encrypted.  It will tell you the following, if you read it carefully:

If you get it, 

1. unplug your computer from the electric outlet
2. unplug your computer from the Internet unless it is connected by WiFi
3. if connected by WiFi, you may want to unplug your router
4. call for help from your competent anti-malware tech

An ounce of prevention is worth everything you can do later.  Here is what you must be doing now:

• Back up your files every day.  If you work for someone else, maybe several times a day.  
•   (see this link for information on backing up files:  http://windowssecrets.com/newsletter/sorting-out-the-revolution-in-pc-backups-part-2/
• Every few days, back up to an Internet site such as Carbonite, or put critical files on a DVD disk where they cannot be encrypted or distorted.  Especially if they are client files with client information!
• When you leave your computers, close your browsers (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, etc.) and close your email client.

Now, you may be finding this hard to read, hard to conceptualize, and you may be thinking, "I don't want to know this stuff, I just want to use my computer."  I understand.

You may not want to know that when you drive a car you can kill people, or kill yourself.

The reality does not change whether we want it to or not.  Take care.  Take precautions.  Become a safe computer and a safe driver.

Leave a comment if you have more to share.  Thanks.