Cyptolocker Virus

The "Cryptolocker Virus" has gotten a lot of press lately.  It is a bad thing but it is not a new thing.  We have cleaned up a few of these.  We have also seen files encrypted and lost forever.  The virus gets installed by downloading a picture or .PDF.  It can come from anywhere.  Users get tricked into running and installing a program.  The people who spread this virus are very tricky and I would not wag my finger at a user telling them that it was all their own fault and they should know better.  The virus comes along as emails for UPS delivery notifications, Intuit Payroll confirmations and Late notifications from a bank just to name a few.    It can also be embedded into websites where simply browsing the page prompts users to install it.  They do a good job of making it look legit.  

The worst thing is that this virus can do is lock down your files by encryption.  When this happens your files are gone.  If you pay these people the money for the decryption code, then do you think they are going to give you the code?  They are criminals after all.

You can read more technical details here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CryptoLocker

The only protection is to have daily backups of your files.  We offer that as a service and we will give you your files back if your computer seizes and dies.

Thanks,

Adam Bell
Senior Systems / Network Engineer
Sublime Computer Services
We make your technology work

615-942-0850
adam@sublimecomp.com
www.sublimecomp.com