Ransom Virus Public Service Info

[okieboater]

I am publishing this because this forum is one of the best ways I know to get a warning out.

The ransom or Crypto virus has been around for a while. Constantly being updated.

I thought I was pretty well protected. I let my guard down and am paying the price.

I recently did a online purchase. Some days later got a snail mail from that vendor saying their server had been hacked. Personal data out there. Recommended credit bureau freeze and credit card cancellations.

The day after I got that snail mail letter, I got a email stating I needed to take care of the attached invoice. So, I clicked on that invoice. Usually I look at header details before looking at attachments did not this time due to the letter I just received. What I got was garbage on the screen but something with Lockey in the name that went thru my PC, USB drives attached to that desktop and a router attached big drive. Encrypted data files. Looked at one of the files and got a message to use TOR to pay bitcoins and get a unlock key. There was also a few days limits to where no matter what I could not get the unlock key. I could not get the unlock key and after several days work am still finding data files than do not work. So far Windows 10 seems to work ok and my protection did eventually alert me to the malware infection and removed same. But the file damage was done.

I ended up getting a product from Bitdefender that offers protection from this malware. There are others, I just found this one and have it installed.

I am recovering best I can. I did have some relatively recent data files backed up on USB drives that were not connected to my desktop.

Bottom Line. Ladies and Gentlemen, no matter what beware of any attachment sent by email. I am doing and suggest some sort of data file backup to a USB drive that is disconnected from your computer after the updates. And, connect, sync, dis connect on a regular basis.

Like I said. I thought I was a fairly in the know computer user. I do not think that anymore. I let my guard down one time and got clobbered. Learn from my mistake.

dave

[turboturtle]

I toured the western states on my scoot this past summer, and low and behold what happened to me was a break in to my on line banking. Whoever did it left me at Hoover Dam with $12.00 in my account.
The perpetrators absconded with many thousands, and my CU had to collect insurance to repay all which was lost. That took some time, and lucky for me to have friends loan me funds to return home.
I have since signed up with a VPN service. PIA is offering a substantially low yearly introductory rate. I'm happy with the service so far. Another friend in the know told me that even with a VPN, Google still has us all pegged, and the only way to avoid that is to register with PIA or another lesser known VPN before one does "anything" else especially google searches on their pc. Here is the service which I am signed up with. https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/p ... -security/
I hope it helps those who can't help themselves. If you type it in on your new pc you avoid google knowing what your searching for.

ps. The only site so far which has pia services blocked was Craigs List, and can still be used if you turn off the VPN for the short time your on CL. And it will not protect you from opening faulty attachments. That ones on you!






BOB