##  [ Holding your data to ransom ](/articles/holding-your-data-ransom) 

  Submitted by [Dave Ockwell-Jenner](/whois/4055) on Wednesday, June 11, 2008 - 15:48 

 It's nothing new, but a recent news item caught my attention: *malware that encrypts your files and holds the data to ransom*. How does this work?

Well, the first step is obviously getting infected with the malware in question. Most recently, the news item was talking about a new variant of the Gpcode virus. You might get this from installing software, or even visiting a web page... you know the drill. What makes this type of malware different is that it's just a new spin on plain ol' extortion.

The malware systematically goes through your documents (typically office documents, photos, etc.) and encrypts them using a secret key known only to the malware author. It then sends you an e-mail letting you know that you can decrypt (or unlock) your documents for a small fee... and provides an e-mail address to contact to arrange payment.

So, heed the standard advice: keep your system up-to-date. Run anti-malware software such as antivirus and anti spyware scanners. And best of all... *keep regular backups!* After all, you can just pull the unencrypted copies from your backup and keep the malware author scrounging for money :-)



- [Log in](/user/login?destination=/articles/holding-your-data-ransom%23comment-form) to post comments