Posted by John Shannon | Viruses & Spyware

A RansomWare named “Petya” is the newest to be attacking systems around the world. This new threat doesn’t encrypt the files on a hard drive, it just goes ahead and encrypts the entire thing.

It is spread via e-mail purporting to be from a job applicant with instructions to download a file hosted in a Dropbox folder. Opening the file will release the RansomWare which will crash the PC. When the PC reboots, a message will appear saying that it needs to fix errors and that it may take several hours. It will appear to be running a CHKDSK, but during this time, the entire hard disk is actually being encrypted.

Once completed, the system reboot and the user is presented with a ransom message asking to be paid or they’ll lose access to everything on the hard drive. The ransom doubles every seven days.

As with most malware attacks, Petya relies on the computer user clicking links sent in an email.

One hospital has paid $17,000 in Bitcoins this year after its files were encrypted. As you know may now, six of my clients have already been hit with various RansomWware, including two just last week. No one has yet lost any data due to the stringent measures we have in place to prevent such loss, but there is always a first time.

Please continue to be vigilant in the E-Mail you open and the websites you visit.

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