There’s new ransomware out there. Russian-made VaultCrypt has apparently been out in the wild since February, but just crossed into the US and Canada last week:
- Original report from March 17:
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/t/570390/ vaultcrypt-uses-batch-files- and-open-source-gnupg-to-hold- your-files-hostage/ - InfoSecurity Magazine report from March 21:
http://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/vaultcrypt- the-russian-ransomware/ - Follow-up from this morning, from the makers of “SpyHunter,” who want you to use THEIR tool to detect and fix:
http://www.anti-spyware-101.com/vaultcrypt-ransomware
Even though we haven’t seen this particular attack at UD yet, the bleepingcomputer.com and SpyHunter reports offer interesting details about how the software works. Good details of how this piece of ransomware holds your files hostage and what strategies might work to recover at least some of your files.
Your best defenses?
- Keep your computers’ anti-virus and anti-malware software current.
- Backup your files and keep a clean backup of your files in a safe place.
- Think B4 U Click!