IMPORTANT NOTICE - NOVEMBER 10th, 2014:
1. Read the explination of the threat below.
2. Download Backblaze online backup here.
Note:
The setup file will open directly.
3. Run the downloaded file & continue through the installation process. Create an account using your email address and a password you will remember. The program will begin backing up immediately.
The program initially starts as a 15-day trial and requires no upfront payments.
4. At the bottom of the backup window there is a "Buy Now" link. To subscribe, click the link and continue to billing and sign-up at the official Backblaze site. The price is extremely reasonable ($5.00 / month - less if you pay by the year or two years).
5. If you need help with installation and configuration, please call me to set up an appointment. I will come out ASAP to install CryptoWall prevention measures, update Windows, install Backblaze and will leave you with instructions on how to protect yourself from encrypting ransomware, now and in the future. The cost of a setup is my minimum + software costs for each system (excluding Backblaze which is paid directly to them on a monthly basis) - $90.00 total. I can be reached at 603.926.6231
6. If you don't already, like my Facebook page to recieve updates on this and other important computer issues.
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November 1st, 2014
This past week I witnessed an incredible rise in a new type of computer threat - this threat is quite unlike anything I've seen in the past as the likelihood of data destruction is very high (most often infections are more of a nuisance than anything). The threat is a new type of "ransomware" - a type of malware that makes your system unusable unless you pay some crook via western union, bitcoin, etc. This particular strain goes beyond the ransomware of the past in that instead of holding your computer hostage, it encrypts the contents of personal files (pictures, documents, mail databases, etc.) and once the process is complete it demands payment to unlock the files. This file encryption is the equivalent of shredding your files into a million pieces & recovering from this virtual shredding is essentially impossible, short of paying the $500-$1000 to the thieves or (the better alternative) having a secure backup that can be recovered!
Complete data loss was, until now, a relatively rare occurrence, mainly happening when a hard drive suffered complete failure (most failures of drives are only partial and usually all files can be recovered). This new type of threat is a game-changer . . . the chances of complete data loss are now one in a dozen rather than one in 100,000. For this reason I'm strongly suggesting that everyone who cares about the contents of their computer must have a solid, reliable backup plan in place. My ultimate solution to this new issue is in the works (there is a lot to consider in the way of prevention and recovery) but, in the interim, I suggest signing up for Backblaze (above). Backblaze is an online backup system that will retain unlimited files from your computer with versioning dating back a month.
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