In the past we have talked about the Cryptolocker virus and how nasty it can be. There have been a few different versions of Cryptolocker but there have also been a number of copy cats trying to cash in on the cash cow that is Ransom-ware. Sadly it has been proven to work but at a much higher price.
Recently a large number of users, especially those on Windows XP who are no longer supported by Microsoft, have brought their computers in to have something known as CryptoWall removed. It basically does the same thing as CryptoLocker but the people behind it want $750USD to unlock your files. If you wait 7 days that will double to $1500.
So Katrina from Nedlands brought her computer in and found out just how bad this program can be. It has encrypted all of her files and rendered them unusable. All her photos, documents and even emails are essentially gone. And if the user decides to pay the Ransom there is not even any guarantee that the files will be restored.
So if you don’t want to end up like Katrina make sure you back up all your files every week or every day.