A new wave of ransomware (malicious software that encrypts files for ransom) is being reported in the news and other users in our community. These particular instances of ransomware trick Windows users into either applying fake software updates (e.g. Adobe) or enabling features in products like Microsoft Office.
When users click to apply changes, ransomware encrypts popular file types (documents, images, music, videos, databases, etc.), rendering them unusable without the encryption key. A pop-up window informs the user that files have been encrypted and demands a ransom payment to obtain the encryption key.
External & Cloud Storage Risks
Keep in mind that this potentially includes items that are not only on the computer’s internal storage, but any external storage connected to the computer at the time of the initial infection. This could include USB drives, external hard drives, any file shares that the user is connected to over the network (think Z: or S: drive), and files connected to cloud services with local storage.
What do you need to do?
- Make sure systems are backed up using an offsite backup service that makes use of version history.
- Avoid attachments from unknown email senders. Be particularly wary of those with subject lines relating to “Invoices” if you are not expecting them. Practice extra caution with Microsoft Word, Excel, and Adobe PDF documents. If you receive messages like these, please contact the Service Desk for assistance.
- Contact the Service Desk if you need assistance in determining if your server or file share is regularly backed up.