As a business owner, there are many things you need to keep an eye on. This includes watching the business finances, dealing with staffing, and making sure you have the right services and equipment in place for efficient operation. Another thing you need to do is protect your business, and one of the things you need to protect against is cybercrime.
I have a lot of important files stored on two external hard drives that are standing on my desk beside my computer. What makes these files important is that they contain photos and videos of my life since 2002 and they can’t be replaced. Since that time my life has changed substantially – marriage and raising a family. Losing the files that captured all moments over the past 14+ years is not an option – nor will it every be.
Ransomware – a class or malware that restricts access to a computer until a ransom is paid – has been around for many years. In fact, one of the first known ransomware – the “AIDS” trojan – was found in 1989. Unlike other malware, ransomware has sort of been in the background, not drawing much attention. In 2013, the ransomware called CryptoLocker began making news as it infected computers, and then began encrypting personal data files.
In September 2013 a new type of malware was discovered to be making the rounds in computers running Microsoft Windows. This new malware is not really a virus because it typically requires a user to open an infected e-mail. What makes this malware particularly dangerous is what it does once it infects your computer – it holds your files for ransom.
