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Basil

Basil

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I'm sure most of you have heard about the Ransomware that is hitting computers (Windows machines) all over the globe. The malware causes all your files to become encrypted and to gain access again, you have to pay a ransom with Bitcoin. Thus, it's a good time to think about regular backups if you don't already do so.
 
I have always found this worrisome. I have heard of bitcoin, but no idea what it is or how to use it. Web explanations about it are cumbersome. I generally don't surf the
web unless I am using my Ubuntu machine. Not much malware around for Ubuntu or Linux systems.
 
Just wait 'til the "ransom" freezes hits our banks, medical providers, credit systems, communication and power systems, retail and wholesale systems, etc.

So far, looks like the worst attacks today are in Russia, Ukraine and Taiwan.

How many people have paper backups to keep going without the 'net?

eek
 
Yep - and the NHS was just one example. So maybe more folks now will take this seriously. A wake up call is sorely needed. Imagine daily life without internet connections. It's one thing when your smartphone or laptop freezes; a whole 'nother issue when a major organization's entire data system is locked. And a digital backup is only useful if the hardware and operating system still works.

Relying only on digital systems saves the companies lots of money - until ...

T.
 
So, I appreciate the call to Backup. (Jesus Saves! :grin: ) but, friends, in terms of belts and braces what else?

We have a typical network - with my PC Laptop and SWMBO's Macbook - and probably 20+ other devices (rolleyes). I use Avast (free version) which works remarkably well. I just had an email from Malwarebytes extolling their virtues. I have also had people suggest a VPN.

any thoughts? especially for more "umbrella" coverage.
 
ESET (paid version), SpyWareBlaster (free), MalWareBytes anti-exploit (free) for browsers, CryptoPrevent (free) for 3.5 years since the last big ransomware debacle. Plus a couple of other items running on browsers that block all sorts of garbage.
 
JPSmit said:
....
any thoughts? especially for more "umbrella" coverage.
Click to expand...

Backups, obviously. But be watchful - you can back up bad stuff as well as your valuable stuff & restoring won't help you then.

My approaches, for what they're worth... (I don't use browser-based e-mail readers because of having so many e-mail accounts personal & business)

I use e-mail clients that are less common, and that allow downloading e-mails as plain text rather than html. That way, you don't go careening around the net downloading embedded images etc. You can click a button to trigger all that when you're sure the e-mail is legit. I've used an ancient version of "Barca" for years.

All my e-mail is read using POP3 protocol. Since this is not especially safe I wrote a program I called the "Popsniffer" years ago that looks at the inbox before actually downloading anything. This way you can see the raw e-mail with its actual links etc. and can also get basic info on any attachments and delete anyting you don't want without ever downloading it. There is an excellent commercial program available that does the same thing called "Mailwasher", which I also use. I don't read anything into an e-mail client until I've looked at with Mailwasher.

My business requires keeping reasonably up to date on Windows updates. I download them after they've been out for a couple of weeks. Windows updating is risky in itself but overall it's the lesser evil.

Obviously, use a virus checker and scan your network for open ports occasionally.

Trust no one regarding opening attachments. If I get an e-mail with an attachment not described in the senders words within the e-mail, I don't open it.

Sometimes it's good to be paranoid.
 
It is good to be paranoid. Except...I refuse to use web based e-mail programs, as the tendency is to put your address book there also..and the hackers love that.

Browser based, OE6 is this one, just to make sure.

And you are right about MS updates...remember when we would refuse all updates (try that with non-enterprise ten) and wait a week, look the KB's up on line and see what issues folks are having...the load the ones without issues.

Of course, if you kill updates (I am sure you know where to go to actually kill them) you don't have to worry about them.

9-1/2 years and counting.
 
TOC said:
It is good to be paranoid. Except...I refuse to use web based e-mail programs, as the tendency is to put your address book there also..and the hackers love that.

Browser based, OE6 is this one, just to make sure.

And you are right about MS updates...remember when we would refuse all updates (try that with non-enterprise ten) and wait a week, look the KB's up on line and see what issues folks are having...the load the ones without issues.

Of course, if you kill updates (I am sure you know where to go to actually kill them) you don't have to worry about them.

9-1/2 years and counting.
Click to expand...

What is OE 6?
 
Paul - OE6 is "Outlook Express" version 6.

https://sites.google.com/site/simpledotnet/outlook-express-6

Now I'm getting worried. Yesterday morning J-P asked for comments on "umbrella coverage" for his 20+ systems.

And we never heard from him again!

worrybaby-e1443666679344.jpeg

































"Uh-oh - guess I have to find $300 in bitcoins!"
 
OE6, browser based e-mail, on XP Pro, SP3. Bad guys don't care about obsolete OS. That seems to work on browser e-mail systems, too.
 
Well, many of the British NHS computers are/were running Windows XP - and they got hit *bad*.

So I guess some of those nefarious characters do care about obsolete OS.

Yikes! My 1981 Osborne cp/m may be vulnerable!
 
And they want to make self-driving cars and trucks run by computers? Wait until those 17-year old trolls get ahold of those...
 
coldplugs said:
Got a lot of critical files still on that baby, do ya? :encouragement:

And yes, XP got hit - lots of vulnerabilities there. MS issued an update for it, which was nice of them I guess....
Click to expand...
And they were businesses, banks, trains, planes, that kind of stuff. No SMB to hack into on my machines, but I downloaded the fixes anyway to be safe.
 
I was amused to learn that most of the Windows-based computers in China were infected, despite Microsoft's recent update, because the vast proportion of Windows installations in China are from illegal copies. :p
 
Boink said:
I was amused to learn that most of the Windows-based computers in China were infected, despite Microsoft's recent update, because the vast proportion of Windows installations in China are from illegal copies. :p
Click to expand...

And since WGA, MS won't give updates to non-legal windoze copies.
So, MS gets their way, no updates to pirated copies, but the end result is the infectation goes worldwide. Weird.
 
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