How to Prevent Ransomware from Locking up your Computer

REVE Antivirus labs have been detecting increased number of ransomware infections over the last few weeks. As of late the famous Dridex ransomware is seen to be spreading at a quick pace. Such incidents detect a clear trend that malware authors are steadily shifting to serious money making ransomware variants. Ransomware is proven to be a highly effective money extortion mechanism over the last year. Ransomware is increasingly being used along with other successful and penetrative malware propogation techniques such as spam campaigns, phishing attacks and more. It has become effective because of the vicinity of bitcoins, advanced cash that empowers cybercriminals to gather cash secretly.

It is seen that the number of ransomware detections for the last 7 weeks starting from February 1^st 2016 has been nearly 450,000, which comes out to b approximately 9,000 ransomware detections every single day. This shows that there is a considerable rise in the ransomware detections as compared to the past. This highlights the developing danger of ransomware to organizations and individual clients.

How to avoid ransomware infections

1.       Back up your data

When the case of data security, the first step comes is to classify your data properly. It is important for data owners to segregate their data into crucial, moderate or dispensable categories and look out for ways to secure their most sensitive information. Also try to save your data into different places on your PC. All the sensitive information ought not be put in one specific spot.

2.       Update your OS and other applications

Malware developers usually exploit vulnerabilities in the applications and the OS to breach our system security. In order to avoid such incidences, it is highly recommended to download OS updates and keep your system protected. The most commonly targeted applications are Java, Adobe Flash Player, MS office, Google Chrome and many more.

3.       Be cautious of suspicious emails and attachments

Spam emails have become one of the most effective ways for ransomware to enter into our system. Many a times programmer send masked messages that gives an impression of being valid however when the users click on these some malevolent or dangerous opens that causes harm to the system. When it comes to email security, the following security measures can be taken:

• Never open or execute attachments that are received from unknown senders
• Make sure to check the content of the email properly before opening
• Personalize spam settings for your inbox
• Install an add on that blocks automatic pop ups

Recently, ransomware infections have begun spreading JavaScript codes on websites as well. There are multiple ways through which ranswomware can get into your PC. REVE Antivirus defends you against the latest malware through its virus signature updates on a daily basis. Moreover, REVE Antivirus security products also provide multiple lines of defense such as virus protection, Email protection, category based blocking with its advanced parental control and a lot more.

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Which is the best Antivirus for you?

If your device slows down or hangs up, you are not alone. In some cases applications decline to open or a program will neglect to react at an essential time. When irritated users get fed up with this behaviour, many of them are ready to throw away their poor device, and sometimes they even want to do it as brutally as possible. While it might seem like a good idea at the time, breaking the device is never a good solution, you will regret it. REVE Antivirus Lab can offer you an altogether better one. We’ve created a number of special tools both for Windows devices such as PCs and laptops, and for Android smartphones and tablets. What's more tempting is, they are totally free!! REVE Antivirus tools can be used to check if your device is infected with malware or a virus. They will also warn you if your OS and software suffer from vulnerabilities and provide you with recommendations on how to improve your protection. REVE Scanner detects infected files and displays them in a separate window and then waits for the user to choose what to do in order to cure, delete or quarantine. You can apply these actions to all files at once or to each of them separately.

If REVE Scanner does not help you the way you expected, you can turn to another free tool, created for removing the majority of rootkits from your PC. Rootkit is a type of malware that tries to access system functions and it is usually very good at hiding itself from the system monitoring. With this you can recognize suspicious documents and isolate them for further research. If the analysis confirms that the files are infected, the tool offers to cure them or to delete them forever. www.reveantivirus.com

If you want to scan your Android phone, you can install REVE Mobile Scan. This tool checks if your device is safe from the most widespread vulnerabilities who are trying to attack your phone.  For those who want to forget about the infection nightmare once and for all, we recommend installing software that can perform scans automatically. PC users can choose REVE Antivirus, REVE Internet Security and REVE Total Security.  REVE total security is a decent choice for those individuals who want to boost up the performance of their PC by removing duplicate files.

5 interesting facts to keep your passwords and personal details safe!

There’s a lot that needs to be learned about passwords. With the technology forging ahead, there are huge developments that are being made up by cybercriminals. Data breaches are very common these days but it is something that is completely not in our control.  Keeping your passwords, financial and personal information safe and protected from outside intruders is the first priority of every business. But still it is very important on our part to create strong and unique passwords that cannot be hacked easily.

Every few months, some big company reports an incident of their website being hacked, compromising millions of people’s account information. Avoiding cyber attacks in a way is dependent on the complexity of your password. Many of us use the same password over and over again for all our accounts which leads to easy phishing attacks. Once a criminal has your password for one account, he can easily track the password for the other accounts as well. Ideally each of your passwords should be atleast 16 characters, containing a combination of number, symbols, upper and lower case. One should avoid using easily guessed words such as birth dates, addresses and phone numbers. This will make it tough for the hacker to crack and get into your system.

Here are a few tips that you need to follow in order to keep your family’s personal information private, protecting your devices from online threats and other dangerous malware.

Passwords are the biggest assets! Keep it safe.

1.     NEVER WRITE PASSWORDS DOWN

One should never write their passwords on a piece of paper as people can easily find and use it. Also make sure never to store passwords on your computer. If a hacker cracks our password for one website, then it means they have cracked your password for a dozen more which puts you into greater danger.

2.     BACK UP YOUR DATA

One of the most basic data protection tip is to back up your data. This basically helps you to create a duplicate copy of your data so that if your device is lost, stolen or hacked, then you do not lose your important information. It is advised that one should back up their data on a different device, such as another PC or an external drive so that you can easily recover it when the other device is attacked.

3.     NEVER SAVE PASSWORDS ON YOUR BROWSER

Most of the latest browsers will offer a save username and password option. But you are advised not to follow this method. The hackers can get into your online accounts and make transactions on your behalf hampering your privacy, leading you to face huge financial loss.

4.     INSTALL A GOOD ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE

Malware is a serious issue attacking many computers hampering the personal privacy of users. Malware can damage a computer without your consent. It includes computer viruses, worms, Trojan horses and more. This malware can be hidden on websites and emails or in downloadable files, photos and videos. The best way to avoid getting infected is to run a good anti-virus program and also avoid clicking on suspicious email links or websites.

5.     SECURE WIRELESS NETWORK WITH A PASSWORD

You are also recommended to secure your wireless network with a password. This prevents unauthorized individuals to hijack your wireless network. Even if you are using a free Wi-Fi network then make sure it is secure and hidden.

Ransomware – A growing Menace in Today's world

Ransomware – A growing Menace

Ransomeware is a very common term that we come across these days. Ransomware is a type of malware that encrypts your files or locks up your desktop. It might also restrict your access to computer or disable input devices. It can take a picture of you through the webcam and blackmail you to pay huge money to keep your files secure. This type of malware forces its victim to pay a ransom to the attacker in order to get back access to their system. There are some forms of ransomware that systematically encrypt files on the system’s hard drive and the use of these has grown internationally. Ransomware usually propagates as a Trojan which is disguised as a legitimate file.

Different Types of Ransomware

There are different types of ransomware. It depends on how severely they affect your computer. Some kinds of ransoware simply block users from accessing the system by locking their screen. Another kind of ransomware terminates the applications from working. The most common type of ransomware, encrypts users personal files such as their documents and pictures, preventing the access to these, until a ransom is paid in exchange for the decryption. This type of ransomware is famous with the name of Cryptolocker.

How Ransomware gets onto your System

One way ransomware can arrive on your computer is through opening attachments in spam emails. These attachments may look normal mails but when you open them your computer will get infected with malware. Another way through which ransomware can target your computer is by opening certain infected websites. These can be fake websites set up by the hackers themselves or legitimate websites that have been compromised in order to spread malware.The content of these emails and websites usually claims that the user has won a prize, free download, movie unlimited and so on. The user often gets tempted by these attractive offers and clicks on the provided links and easily downloads a malware on their system.

Ransomware – Target for Mobile Devices

Ransomware is becoming very common in mobile devices these days. There are plenty of threats that can lock your smartphone or tablet and can even encrypt files stored on these devices, blackmailing you to pay a huge ransom.  In order to protect your phone from being targeted, avoid downloading apps from unfamiliar sites and install only from trusted sources. You are also advised to install a security app, in order to protect your device and data.

How is it beneficial for the hacker?

Attackers force the user to pay a ransom if the victim wants to recover the infected files from his computer.  There is no fixed amount for the ransom. It can go from a few dollars to hundreds of dollars. Attackers look for untraceable methods to be paid. Recently, bitcoin is being used as a ransom currency, as it happened with CTB Locker, which demanded 8 bitcoins in exchange for the decryption key to recover the files that were encrypted. It is also important to note, that in many cases paying the ransom does not guarantee the recovery of files or the access to the system.

How to stay safe from Ransomware?

Make sure you do not open files that are downloaded from untrusted sites. Keep updating your system on a regular basis. Make sure you have an antivirus installed on your PC and you keep it up to date.  It is also very important to verify the email address and take extra caution when opening emails containing attachments or links. Even if the mail is send by a person you know make sure to check it and take some immediate action.

Another important thing that you need to take care of is when you are using a USB drive in your computer, remember to perform a virus scan.

It is also recommended to make backups of your system, important files and folders in order to minimize the loss in case of a virus attack or system crash.

Conclusion

Thus, we can end up by saying that ransomware is a very common malware which can block the access to your computer or files. Backing up of your files and folders can help to minimise the impact in case of an attack. Being cautious while opening email attachments from untrusted sources and having an updated antivirus software can help you prevent from becoming a targeted victim.

How to Protect your Identity from Hackers

In this cyber age, we cannot do away with smart devices, which are indispensable part of our life be it day-to-day office work or leisure activities like online shopping, chatting via social platforms etc. Surfing the internet via these devices can make your digital life vulnerable to hackers, so it is prudent to take care of certain elements.

Here are a few security tips you should follow in order to protect yourself against the latest cyber-attacks.

Validation of URL

While entering your personal or sensitive information on any website, check if it’s URL begins with ‘https’. Also make sure a lock icon is visible on the top left, indicating that the connection is completely safe and secure.

Keep Strong Passwords

Passwords are your first line of defence in this digital war with hackers. Hence, it is important to create a long, unique and hard to guess password. Keeping different passwords for separate accounts is considered to be an added advantage. The passwords should not be saved on notepads or mobile phones.

Beware of Pop up Messages

Abstain from clicking on any pop up messages that you may have often come across while surfing the internet. Pop ups can be a form of malware or may lead you to infected sites in order to capture your sensitive and private data.

Check Before Downloading Random Software

Some popular software with high download intensity such as movie downloader, PDF editor, etc. are targeted by hackers to intrude into PC or mobile devices. A wise way is to download these software from legitimate sites.

Fraudulent Emails and Calls

Users should not click on any random links which appears in the mask of Banking institutions, or any offer of a million dollar fortune. Apart from fraudulent emails, you should also abstain from sharing any of your financial details via phone calls.

Install Antivirus Software

The best way to remain protected is to install an antivirus software that offers multi-layered protection. Choosing the right antivirus software is important according to your specific needs as there are many software floating the market. 

Monitor your child internet usage behaviour-Parents best practices to online security

As internet continues to increase its presence in the life of every individual, even the teenagers or kids are not untouched. So, as parent, have you ever tried to peep into the online activities of your children? Yes, some parents are concerned about what their teenage children do online; whereas others hardly find sufficient time due to their busy schedules.

Even children often hide their online activities from their parent’s, reason being the nature of the content they browse. According to a recent study, seventy percent of teens "hide their online behavior" from their parents. These hidden behaviors pertain due to accessing violent or pornographic content. Children often engage themselves into other activities like cyber bullying, email hacking or even developing intimacy with strangers.

How to keep kids safe online

Hence, parents should actively monitor their children and follow some of the best practices.

There are many free parental control softwares through which you can monitor and track the online activities of your children. You can also block dangerous sites and protect your kids from online bullying.
As concerned parents, you need to communicate clearly to your children what content need to be browsed and what not. You should educate your children regarding social networking sites, chat rooms, dating sites and other commonly browsed segments.

Antivirus with parental control helps you keep a check on the online activities of your children. Using parental control, you can blacklist or white list websites to be accessed by your children. You can block access to websites by setting up filters for categories like "Adult", "Gambling", "Dating”, etc. Time setting can be done, which allows you to configure particular days or hours of the week when your children can use the Internet.

How to stay safe online, 7 security tips

Safety and Security on the internet

The year 2014 has been a great year for online shopping, which has seen a surge. Although this hype has benefited the merchants, it has also opened the door to cyber criminals who constantly look for vulnerable websites to make their intrusion attempts successful. Usually shopping online consumers face various types of risks beginning from fake websites to untrusted connections.

According to a report from the Federal Trade Commission, credit card fraud damages are costing Americans more than a billion dollars a year, and the figure is still on the rise. Here is a great example how people are targeted online by these cyber criminals.

Mr. Smith, an entrepreneur in Philadelphia, suddenly spotted some fraudulent activity in his bank account. Some amount of money has been withdrawn without his knowledge. He rushed to the bank to enquire about his banking details and came to know that someone has changed his registered address and attained a new debit card on that address. Mr. Smith realized that he had become a victim of online fraud, the hacker hacked his PC, his bank account and changed his entire contact details. He immediately registered a case of online fraud with the police.

This type of news can be heard often, so in order to be safe online, you must take certain preventive steps:

Shop from a trusted website

Cyber crooks play a common trick of setting up a fake website, which resembles any popular website, so that customers reveal their credit card information without any doubt. Therefore, it is important for you to verify the URL of the shopping site before entering your payment details. Although the look and feel of the fake website resembles the actual one, there will be a minute difference in the URL structure.

Avoid Public Wi-Fi while you shop online

Public Wi-Fi is generally insecure and hackers find it the most convenient platform to steal your credit card information. Hence, you should go for a trusted connection whenever you make any online transaction.

Intelligent browser settings to guard your privacy

Do you know, you can customize your browser to a great extent to prevent your PC being exposed to hackers? By adjusting your privacy settings, you can keep a check on these websites. You can also block or allow any particular sites or cookies as per your preference.

Activate User Account Control (UAC)

A User Account Control notifies you whenever there is a permission request for an administrative level changes to be done on your PC or laptop. By activating User Account Control (UAC), you can prevent viruses and hackers from making unwanted changes in your PC.

Say no to untrusted email attachments

Email attachments are one of the biggest sources of virus attack; so it is advisable that you do not click on suspicious emails. The best way to prevent your PC from becoming a victim is to judge the subject line or the sender's email id before opening the attachment. You can also scan attachments with your antivirus program to minimize any kind of possible risk.

Basic firewall protection

A firewall is one of the most useful tools to remain protected from external threats. You can either go for a Windows firewall or any other firewall, which shall provide basic protection from worms or other forms of viruses.

Keep your PC safe with a reliable antivirus

The most important step towards online security is to install a reliable antivirus program. There are many antivirus software’s available in the market, so you need to choose the best product evaluating its features. Apart from installing an antivirus program, you also need to keep the product updated, so that it functions effectively. Switching to automatic update is the best option.
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