Hi there, Ngunguru and Tutukaka Community!
Continuing from last week’s Halloween theme of Terrors of Tech…
This week’s terror is something much more serious:
😱 RANSOMWARE!!!
Ransomware is a type of malicious software that can encrypt your files and prevent you from accessing your data. The attacker then demands money in exchange for supposedly restoring access to your files.
It can be an incredibly stressful experience, especially when your important photos, documents or business files are suddenly inaccessible.
🚨 What should you do?
- Don’t panic — and don’t immediately pay the ransom. Paying does not guarantee that you’ll get your files back.
- Disconnect the affected computer from the network. Disconnect Ethernet or disable Wi-Fi to help prevent the ransomware from spreading to other devices.
- Don’t start deleting or wiping things straight away. Some ransomware may be recoverable, and important evidence can be lost if the computer is immediately wiped.
- Get professional help. Identifying the ransomware and understanding exactly what has happened should come before deciding how to recover the computer.
- Check your backups. A good, separate backup can be your best defence against ransomware.
In some cases, files affected by ransomware can be recovered without paying the attacker. In other cases, a clean rebuild of the computer and restoration from a reliable backup may be the safest option.
The best protection is preparation. Keep important data backed up, make sure your backups are not permanently connected to your computer, keep your software up to date and be cautious about unexpected links and attachments.
Ransomware is definitely one of those technology problems where prevention is much better than trying to recover afterwards!
If you think your computer may have been affected by ransomware or another serious security problem, stop and get advice before making major changes to the computer.
Call RD3 Tech with your technology problems — I’m happy to help you work out what to do next.
All the best to the community!
Tom
RD3 Tech 💻💾💽🕹🔌
