Outbreak Alert – Cryptolocker

Outbreak Alerts by StopSign Internet Security let you know when specific malware infections are trending, describe what they do, and provide tips on how to avoid them.

What Cryptolocker Does:

• Encrypts Personal Documents
• Demands Payment in Exchange for Decrypting Personal Documents
• Significantly Slows Down the Infected Machine

How It Infects:

• Primarily email attachments, but can include instant message attachments, infected websites, infected media or document files, peer-to-peer file sharing networks, or even downloaded by other malware;
• Infection can also be found in hyperlinks to infected websites from email, instant messages, and social networking messages or posts.

How To Avoid Infection:

• Use extreme caution when you receive a link or attachment from anyone, even those you know;
• Do not download unknown files or files from unknown sources;
• If using StopSign Internet Security, be sure the On-Access Scan is installed and enabled;
• Scan all downloaded files with a malware threat scanner, such as StopSign Internet Security, before executing them;
• Ensure that all updates are installed from Microsoft Update to help protect against vulnerabilities in the operating system.

Type: Ransomware

Technical Name: Cryptolocker

Aliases:

• Trojan.Ransomware.CL