New Virus Alert, Beware of “CRYPTOBLOCKER RANSOMWARE”

[Copierguy0]

I have recently learned that there is a new virus that is a threat to your environment. This infects the user’s machines and puts them at risk of losing important information and files. Infected users are instructed to pay $300.00 to receive the private key to decrypt THEIR information. This is spread through EMAIL attachments and botnets. Infection via email is fairly easy to avoid: Take care with attachments that you weren’t expecting, or from people you don’t know well. Especially Attachments that end with: .PDF .ZIP .EXE

Hobby Safe my Friends,
CG

[skirtchaser79411]

if i were to get could i re formmat the system to beat it

[Unique_Carpenter]

It's been around since early September 13. Here's a decent article:

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/viru...re-information

This was written for system techies so you might get lost reading it. Key points are that lower end virus/malware programs may not prevent this type of stuff. Common sense when opening attachment files is the key here. And as always, back ups to a portable drive.

[LNK]

The thread title is off a bit, it's actually "Cryptolocker" not -blocker.

The short version is, if you open/run this attachment, it will silently encrypt your files, (pictures, documents, etc.) and then ask you for $300 to decrypt them.

There is no alternative. If you need/want your files back, you pay.

Unless you have backups.

And having backup on a drive connected to the computer doesn't help, it will encrypt those files too. Do a backup, and disconnect the media from your computer.

Always be wary of e-mail attachments. Especially .zip files.

The link Unique_Carpenter gave is good info.

[georgehentson]

A reformat of the hard drive will do the job. But you will lose whatever files you haven't backed up.

[jframe2]

No reformatting a drive, is not an effective or appropriate way to get rid of a virus/script problem. In simplest terms, when reformatting a drive, there is always an area that is needed where the reformatting instructions are stored and executed. Decent code-monkeys know how to exploit this.

Also going back to a Restore Point per Windows instructions is not an effective way to get rid of viruses/scripts. Windows white-papers are very clear on this point.

You may have meant to re-install the operating system. And as a warning, if this is done, all data, docs, images, etc including lurking viruses and scripts will be deleted and written over as part of the install.

But re-installing the OS is 99.99% guaranteed to get rid of the problem each and every time. Takes about 20 minutes.

Originally Posted by georgehentson

A reformat of the hard drive will do the job. But you will lose whatever files you haven't backed up.