{"id":12090,"date":"2017-05-19T14:40:02","date_gmt":"2017-05-19T12:40:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.sun.ac.za\/it\/?p=12090"},"modified":"2017-09-29T11:52:33","modified_gmt":"2017-09-29T09:52:33","slug":"how-to-protect-yourself-from-ransomware","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.sun.ac.za\/it\/2017\/05\/how-to-protect-yourself-from-ransomware\/","title":{"rendered":"[:en]How to protect yourself from ransomware[:]"},"content":{"rendered":"

[:en]<\/p>\n

A serious virulent ransomware<\/a> threat known as WannaCrypt0r\/WannaCry has been affecting Windows computers on shared networks in around 150 countries worldwide. Once one computer on a network is affected, the malware infection easily spreads to other Windows computers on the same network, shutting down entire government agencies and national infrastructure companies.\u00a0More on this attack.<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n

Ransomware forms part of a group of malicious computer software called malware<\/em>, \u00a0which installs itself on your PC. It can be installed by means of an e-mail attachment, an infected programme or unsafe website with malware<\/em> installed on it. \u00a0The software \u201ckidnaps\u201d your data by encrypting or limiting your access to it and then sending you a message demanding money to regain your access. \u00a0The only way access is possible again, is by acquiring an encryption key from the creator of the ransomware<\/em>\u00a0at a fee and this isn’t necessarily guaranteed.<\/p>\n

But how do you protect yourself from ransomware<\/a>?\u00a0<\/p>\n