WASHINGTON 鈥斅燗 new, inconvenient and potentially costly ransomware threat is a good reminder of the security steps consumers can take to protect home computers and laptops.
The Petya ransomware is.
As computer security experts work to ascertain the particulars of Petya, simple measures can help reduce the threat to consumer computers.
As with previous ransomware attacks, including the recent WannaCry, the cybercriminals are exploiting a vulnerability in older Windows systems called EternalBlue, reports
Download Microsoft patches
Microsoft is constantly working on patches to head-off new threats as they鈥檙e discovered, and they鈥檙e detailed on the.
Unfortunately, some users don鈥檛 download patches that Microsoft has developed. You can enable Microsoft to automatically update your computer.
Back up in the cloud
Ken Colburn of says traditional methods of backing up a computer with an external hard drive will be of no value if your system is attacked because anything accessible to the computer also becomes encrypted.
Colburn prefers to back up a computer in the cloud.
鈥淭he best and most cost effective defense against ransomware for most users is an online backup service such as because it鈥檚 not directly accessible during an attack, and it鈥檚 automated,鈥� he said
Install protection programs
Protection programs can not only fight attacks, but notify users when malware is trying to encrypt files.
鈥淛ust about every major anti-virus/internet security program is including some form of ransomware detection and protection these days, so check to see what you might already have installed,鈥� Colburn said.
Be suspicious
Some of these attacks are executed through phishing emails, which look legitimate, but install malware on a computer. Look for things that don鈥檛 seem quite right, and avoid clicking on those links.
Free WiFi? No thanks
It may be cheap, but free WiFi offered in public places can be risky because without a password, a user becomes viewable to everyone else using that network. suggests a VPN 鈥� virtual private network 鈥� is a must when connecting to your business through an unsecured connection.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to remove a reference to聽Malwarebytes.
