The Locky virus, a new ransomware that encrypts users’ files and demands bitcoin payments to decrypt them, made an impressive debut Tuesday when it was discovered.
The ransomware attack, which was first sent to nearly half a million victims on February 16, came in the form of a Word document with a malicious macro in it. Targets were sent the infected document via an email, which led them to believe the document was an invoice requiring payment. When the document was opened, it requested permission to run a Macro, which many victims allowed. The infected macro then performed the dirty work of installing the ransomware and scrambling the victims’ files.
Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center made headlines this week after it paid $17,000 to ransomware attackers to restore and decrypt files the malware took captive.

Read the full article here

How To Prevent Ransomware Attacks

The rise of ransomware attacks highlights the need for users of all kinds to take greater security precautions with their stored data.  The most important tip includes making regular backups that are stored offline and updating your computer on a regular schedule.

If you are not currently doing these preventative maintenances on a routine schedule, inquire about our managed services and Totem offsite backup.