Windows 10 is finally out and this means that hackers can target their attention to the new huge market of Windows 10 users. It didn’t take long before they worked out a way to gain some profit from gullible Windows 10 users.
Recent research by Cisco cyber security experts revealed, that this ransomware is traveling via emails. They pretend to be from Microsoft – you will be offered to update your system immediately. However, instead of an update, you will be awarded with file encryption. This means that most of the files stored on your hard drive will be encrypted for undefined amount of time, until you pay the ransom (please notice that paying the ransom does not guarantee that your files will be decrypted).
You might be attracted to open the letter because it says that you will have the opportunity to install Windows 10 sooner. However, this is not true. Nick Biasini from Cisco said ‘The fact that users have to virtually wait in line to receive this update, makes them even more likely to fall victim to this campaign’.
Once the user opens the file attached to the email, malicious code will be ran automatically and within few minutes your files will be encrypted and your desktop will be changed to this (see the picture below).
Hackers are doing their best to remain untraceable, thus you will be asked to pay the ransom via Bitcoins. It’s almost impossible to retrieve your files after they are encrypted, even if you pay the ransom. That’s why you should properly protect your computer and prepare for the worst.
There are two most important things you have to do in order to secure your system from ransomware like CTB-Locker for Windows 10 or any other malware. First of all, you should always keep your system secured with reliable anti-malware application, such as SpyHunter or Malwarebytes. It won’t allow any additional and possibly malicious software to be installed on your computer. Secondly, you should set up an automatic files backup (look it up here: how to do a system restore), so in case your computer gets infected with ransomware, you can restore all your data from a previous point. It would be the best to store your restore points in external hard drive, because ransomware like CTB_Locker can encrypt restore files as well.
