Please update the previous version of the alert with this one. . .
___________________________________________
Over the past couple of weeks, a number of UFV employees have experienced first-hand the aggravation and inconvenience of having their computers infected with a recent variant of ransomware known as CryptorBit. This particular malware is not easily detected or removed by anti-virus programs. Once it infects a computer, CryptorBit proceeds to encrypt local and network documents, rendering them unreadable until a large sum of money is paid to obtain a decryption key.
The most common sources of this malware are compromised Websites and embedded links or attachments found in Spam messages. Online activities such as downloading free and shareware programs, including desktop backgrounds and screensavers, can also result in the unintended consequence of installing unwanted or malicious software.
The cost of dealing with an infected computer is considerable in terms of lost work productivity as well as the time and effort of IT staff required to remediate the compromised machine. If a shared network folder is involved, then an entire department can be affected. Users can expect some loss of data as a result.
As always, we encourage our UFV network community to be vigilant and to exercise caution whether online or opening unsolicited email. If you do happen to experience strange or unusual behavior on your workstation, please shut it down immediately and report it to the Helpdesk.
Christopher Jones
IT Security
For more information, contact Christopher Jones at Christopher.Jones@ufv.ca
03/28/2014