Our computers hold our lives. We store everything on them, from our family pictures to important client files. Computers are becoming more and more susceptible to malware as it becomes evolved and improved by hackers. A form of malware that has been on the rise, is ransomware. Ransomware holds your computer “hostage” until you pay the “ransom” through bitcoin or another payment method. It can even take the form of something from the FBI or government, which tricks people into thinking it’s real. If you are a victim of ransomware here is how to get rid of ransomware the right way.
Ransomware can come in many different shapes and sizes. The three most common ways are:
- A form of “antivirus” that has detected many threats on your computer
- A lock screen issued from the “FBI”
- Your files are encrypted with a countdown until they are destroyed.
If you see any of these, do not panic and whatever you do, do not pay the “ransom”. Paying this ransom does not guarantee that all of your files will be recovered. Depending on your operating system, there are different things you can do to take action and remove the malware:
For PC Users:
Microsoft has a couple of options for people experiencing ransomware. No matter what method you try, your computer will need to be restarted.
System Restore
As soon as your computer turns back on, press F8 repeatedly until the boot menu appears. When that appears, select “repair your computer” and then press enter. You will have to log on to your computer and then a new menu should pop up displaying the option of “system restore”. System restore allows you to revert your computer to an older date when you weren’t affected with ransomware.
Antivirus from a USB
If system restore did not work, you can try running your computer in safe mode (pressing F8 and clicking safe mode when menu appears) and running the Microsoft Safety Scanner or Windows Defender Offline. To do so, you have to download the safety scanner or defender offline on an uninfected computer and transfer it to a USB. After you have done this, put the USB in the infected computer and run the program to remove the ransomware. You can also do this by transporting any antivirus you have, to a USB, as well, and running it on the infected computer.
For Mac Users:
Apple is known for their security. However, hackers have still found ways to compromise the security of these computers, primarily this is done through their browser. To get rid of the ransomware, you will need to reset your browser. Click on the browser menu in the upper left-hand corner. Then click reset browser and make sure that every box is selected. Press reset, and your ransomware will be gone.
Take Preventative Measures:
As you see, ransomware is not something to be messed with. After you have cleaned your computer from the ransomware, you will need to recover from the attack.
Make sure you are protected against any future attacks by taking preventative measures:
- Don’t download anything from an untrusted website
- Always run an antivirus or antimalware program on your computer
- Create strong passwords and change them regularly
- Don’t click links from unsolicited emails
- Always backup your files
Even in removing the ransomware, there is a good chance that some of your files will be unrecoverable. Since your computer can be infected at anytime, and the effects can be devastating, your best defense is to have a strong offense.
The safest way to protect your files from the dangers of ransomware is through a cloud backup software. Nordic Backup allows you to recover your previous file versions, do an entire system restore, and also provides backup reports, alerting you early when any viruses have infected your computer.
It’s always better to be safe than sorry when protecting the device that holds all of your information. When a virus attacks your computer, you want to be able to retrieve your files as easily and quickly as possible. Online backup will help you do that. If you are not sure which backup program is right for you, try our 30-day free trial.
