The protection mechanisms have not changed for a long time but it is good to go over them once in a while:
An increasing number of malware are so-called ransomware, which encrypts the user’s local files on the computer and sometimes also on network drives. The recovery of encrypted files might be possible through a specialized company, but these services are often expensive. Criminals may claim to restore the encrypted files for a ransom, but this rarely happens – so paying the ransom is not advisable.
However, you can be relatively well protected from malware by being vigilant.
- Do not install unknown programs or browser extensions (especially not from unidentified sources) to your computer
- Do not run macros from the files which you have e.g. gotten in e-mail
- Do not install programs suggested to you in social media
- Keep your operating system and other software updated, install the security updates as soon as possible
- Back up important files and store them on separate storage media (e.g., an external hard drive or cloud storage)
It is quite rare that a malicious program breaks into a computer without careless actions by the user himself. If it happens you get a virus on your computer, it is most likely it is because of your own carelessness. In any case, don’t be afraid to contact the helpdesk if you think you might have malware on a computer that is connected to the Oamk’s resources (such as shared network drives), in fact you should do that as soon as possible to hinder further damage.
Three examples malicious program spreading campaigns:
- In social media, you can see a funny video or another typical click-bite image link. When you try to look at the video, the site says you need to enable a video extension, font, program etc. If you accept that extension, you actually accept the harmful software code to be run on your computer, e.g. ransomware or other harmful programs.
- You get e-mail with an attachment that looks like a consignment note. In the message itself, you are asked to open or edit the file in question. When you open that file, there are instructions how the contents must be allowed, e.g. you need to run a macro. By doing so, you are running harmful software code on your computer.
- A pirated program received from a friend or downloaded from elsewhere likely contains some embedded malware. Those distributing pirated copies do not share software or movies out of charity; they often have an underlying motive that can lead to serious cybersecurity incidents affecting the user or the entire organization.
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