As computer users, all of us have experienced a malware attack at some point in our lives. While some of these viruses only make your computer lag, others can be more harmful and can destroy all your files completely. One of the most dangerous computer malware that has been around for quite a while now is Ransomware. It is a sort of a virus that locks all the files in your computers and asks you for a ransom to decrypt them. Once you have been attacked by ransomware, you will not be able to access your files unless you pay the ransom or hire a professional like Cytelligence to get rid of it.
Ransomware mostly spreads through emails. You will receive an email with a file attached to it, and this email will look pretty legit. Once you open the email and download the file, your PC will get affected immediately. Sometimes you can get ransomware when you are trying to download a file from an untrusted source. It is highly recommended that whenever you are looking to download something, always get it from the source. Below I have mentioned a few things that you must do if you have been affected by Ransomware. Let’s have a look:
Table of Contents
Find How Many Computers In Your Network Are Affected
If you have got ransomware on your work PC and it is connected to an entire network, then you need to immediately need to figure out who else has been affected by it. Ransomware is extremely dangerous, and some people end up losing all their files for good. It is important for you to find out all the affected computers and disconnect them from the network so the virus won’t spread to other PCs. Also, make sure no one transfers files or shares data via USB in that period.
Patient Zero
Now when you have isolated all the infected computers, it is time for you to find out the computer that was infected first. Now, this might sound a little complicated, but it is not. In order to find out who clicked on the virus first, all you have to do is click on an infected file and see who is listed as the owner of the file. Right-click on the file, go to properties, and check who is listed as the owner of that file. Once you have found the patient zero, you will be 100% sure that the source of infection is off the network and can work on it accordingly.
Create Backup of the Encrypted Files
Once all your files are encrypted, they are already at risk of getting damaged. It is highly recommended that you create a backup of all your encrypted files and advise other infected people to do the same. Whether you pay the ransom or use a paid service to decrypt the files, there are good chances that some of the files will be lost during the decryption process. Having a backup will ensure that you don’t lose those files permanently. Also, in some cases, the attacker leaves another small virus in your computer, which deletes the files automatically after a certain period of time, having a backup can protect you against that as well.
Find A Decryption Tool
When it comes to the ransomware decryption tool, there are a lot of them available out there, but most of the free ones do not work properly. It is recommended that you go for a trusted ransomware recovery provider like Cytelligence will help you recover your files safely and will help you protect against such attacks in the future as well.
