Technology Tips – Published July 2021 in the Guide and Digest
By Don Trauger – Kennett
By now you probably have heard the term Ransomware as it most recently relates to the Colonial Pipeline fiasco. It falls under the umbrella term malware which basically describes any unwanted program or app running on your computer or device. Many aggressive types of malware will interrupt and in some cases take control of your computer.
Ransomware is a particularly aggressive form of malware in that it not only takes over your computer but it also encrypts you personal files in such a way that it renders them useless or makes them unavailable when you open the program that created them. On top of that the hackers then hold your computer for ransom asking for money so you can download the tool to unencrypt your files and get back to normal operation.
There are a few simple things that you can and should do to avoid malware. First, be extremely aware of an incoming email that has misspellings or information that doesn’t apply to you. Don’t be in a hurry to click on new emails. Take your time to evaluate it as to whether to open it, trash it, or mark it as Spam. If you happen to accidentally open a suspicious email anything can happen but DO NOT CLICK ON ANYTHING IN THE EMAIL.
Your browser (Google Chrome. Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, etc.) can be fortified with an ad blocker. Adblockers not only block ads they will also block an ad that delivers malware. My recommendation is Adblock Plus. It can be added to Edge by clicking the 3 dots at the top right then click “Extensions” in the drop-down menu. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click “Get extensions for Microsoft Edge”. Type Adblock Plus in the “Search all add-ons” and press Enter. To add it to Chrome, click the 3 dots at top right and in the drop-down menu. Move to “More tools”, click “Extensions”, click the 3 horizontal lines at top far left and at the bottom left side click “Open Chrome Web Store”. Type in Adblock Plus in the Search the store field, press Enter and follow any screen prompts. To add to Firefox click the 3 horizontal lines at top right, click “Add-ons and Themes” in the drop-down menu, and type Adblock Plus in the “Search addons.mozilla.org” field and press Enter. Follow screen prompts.
Trying to repair a Ransomware infection is a hit or miss procedure. You can try going to
a website at: https://www.nomoreransom.org/ to see if they have a tool that possibly can help. Another good site with many decryption tools is: https://heimdalsecurity.com/blog/ransomware-decryption-tools/
The fail-safe method of doing a complete backup of your system is highly recommended. For more information I wrote about this in the March 2021 issue of the Guide and Digest available on our website: www.hersheysmill.org.
The better popular anti-virus programs embed anti-ransomware protection. Bitdefender Antivirus Plus is one that implements multiple layers of Ransomware protection and is highly recommended. A digital download for 1 PC is available for $11.99 (as of 5-22-2021) from BestBuy at: https://www.bestbuy.com/site/bitdefender-antivirus-plus-1-device-1-year-subscription-windows-digital/6395893.p?skuId=6395893. Remember to uninstall your existing antivirus program first before installing Bitdefender Antivirus Plus or one of your choice. Only one antivirus program is to be installed on a PC.