Y2K Again? Gamover

Don't worry. Be happy.

I'd be prepared to take action.

I got this because the office staff are idiots

: CryptoLocker - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia And did not report to me that our IT guy told them to tell me to reset my antivirus.

They locked me out of hundreds of files and demanded $300.00 USD within 80 hours or they would permanently delete the files.

I turned off the PC and called the IT guy. He wiped the ransomware off my PC but could not restore the files. But, since I had everything backed up on an external hard drive, I could easily restore any files I needed.

He said it can infect you even if you don't open an infected e-mail, so..................................

I guess I'm just saying to back everything up remotely. And whatever you do don't use a "cloud" back-up service. My company tried that too and lost everything they put there. I refused to use it and kept all my data safe on my desk.

Can you share a little information on how you company lost everything that was on the cloud backup service?

Backing up stuff sounds good, but how do you know some sleeping bug is not there ? A major fail that people make when whiping computers botty is to not erase old restore points.

Since my XP is more or less dead, my position is not too bad. Most stuff is backed up, but what they heck, it,s like doing a yearly clean on the garden shed - best shut your eyes and chuck it in a skip.

The main point is that have we reached the point when such viruses and cloud computing spelled, microsplarf marketing included, the end off stuff as we know it. I have been looking at various penguins, with more than a passing interest. Yes, I am one sick puppy.

A. Is this threat credible.

B. Are you feeling at the the end of your stick with Microsoft.

C. (if still reading) is cloud computing so bad., and can you avoid this situation.

My answers are yes/yes/yes.

Nothing new here apart from perhaps the scale and the forwarning. Just keep your virus protection up to date and don't do anything stupid like opening up dodgy links.

No you have not come into any unexpected money, no you don't suddenly have a bank account in another country you have to check the details on, no you don't want to see a cool picture from someone you have never met that writes like they have been in a car accident and English is not their first language. Etc, etc.

Just to make it clear, the TV New stated that within 2 weeks you would be ******ing Microsoft

No need to censor that, I don't think I will be loving Microsoft any time soon.

I got this sinister virus last week. I am still recovering...

From the virus email:

"This is a virus. I do not have the tech savvy, nor the patience, to write an actual computer virus, so this one will use the honor system. If you are reading this, please manually delete all personal data from your computer and then forward this to 30 people on your email contact list. Thank you for your cooperation."

Very funny, but I`m guessing that you do not watch the major Brit (eg BBC) TV news stuff.

Your post will be very helpful to folk such as my aged parents. If you have time, perhaps you can add the definition of sarcasm.

If you are a good boy (this is called patronising), I might inform you of how `AH` is often interpretted in Brit-speak. I could explain, but I think I have no need to spell it out.

Come the day that I can spell, you may understand the above. I would explain more, but a herd off pigs are flying across my house.

Are you subtly trying to say you got stung by this, too?

Just a little bit of fun to see if I can crank you up !Clearly I am going to have to be a lot more subtle if I try and bait you again .

The original question was serious enough. My money is to sit tight and see what happens. The evening news on Brit TV often flops between ijteresting good quality stuff, and other days it leaves me thinking that they are just padding out the time slot. In this instance they have somehow given a time frame. Whatever the case may be, this is one that will be answered within 2 weeks. It was headline news, `major panic, you will al be ****** in exactly 2 weeks`.

Time will tell......

Well, keep cranking, it keeps me on my toes!

I am close to simply getting a second computer for web access only and the rest of my work done on a off-line machine. I would just use a KVM switch so that I can keep the same keyboard, displays, and mouse as a common set of peripherals.

I have already segregated my machine's drives into separate data drives and one just for the system. I keep a periodically updated copy of my system drive so if something bad happens I can simply swap drives to get back to work. The data drives are backed up hourly and I have a second backup copy of all my work files saved to a fire-proof drive on our server.

However, the internet bottom feeders will only get more and more pervasive as time goes on. So having a simple machine dedicated to email and web usage is a good defensive layer and you don't need a fast or high power machine for those simple tasks.

I`ve never been a fan of ballet, but I am now changing my mind ! The image of you in a tutu will put me in therapy for months .

Much as I would like to add more, I have to dash and deal with some of the boring everyday stuff. I shall pause to GA you for some very sound advice you have mentioned.It sounds like you have cast iron panties on your stuff, and well worth anyone reading.

That was the best laugh I had all week!

There is a website that will scan and remove any malware you might have been infected with....in the UK...

http://www.f-secure.com/en/web/home_global/online-scanner

more info,,,.

https://plus.google.com/111686736307855785273/posts

Thanks. I have various systems that I can use (one after the other, so as to avoid conflict). I`ve not given links, but it is one of the strangest stories to hit the TV news in a long time. As per my reply to AH, within 2 weeks we will all be able to see what this is all about.

I was about to give a sarcastic update, bui my computer crashed !