Ransomware is a particularly insidious category of malware that can lock computers, encrypt files, or both, and hold them for ransom. Many different ransomware strains can vary in their functionality and infection capabilities. And as you may have noticed, some ransomware strains also have colourful names. What do the ransomware names mean, and what makes one ransomware different from the next?

Ryuk 

Ryuk is a Shinigami or God of death in the Japanese animated series Death Note. The show’s protagonist discovers the character and attempts to use him for good deeds while fulfilling Ryuk’s hunger for amusement. Fans have drawn entertainment both from Ryuk and the show’s dark humour. 

Unfortunately, there’s nothing humorous about Ryuk ransomware, which researchers found in 2017. What makes Ryuk ransomware more threatening than other strains is its ability to isolate network drives and resources and delete and disable restoration tools and backup systems. It can also spread more easily with its new worm-like capabilities. 

Extortionists typically use Ryuk for targeted attacks. The malware has infected businesses, media websites, and even hospitals. Researchers estimate that the malware raised over $61 million between February 2018 and October 2019 alone. 

Petya 

Petya is another ransomware strain with a name drawn from popular culture. In the 1995 James Bond film GoldenEye, Petya was a Soviet weapon satellite carrying a weapon of mass destruction. The Petya ransomware was similarly destructive and innovative, though it wasn’t unusually infectious. 

The first Petya ransomware strain was unique because it blocked victims from accessing their computers rather than encrypting files. The malware spread through phishing emails that carried job offers. But for Petya to unleash havoc, users had to agree to grant it administrative control, which many experienced users recognized as a red flag.  

Later versions of Petya were more infectious and even more dangerous. One, in particular, NotPetya, may still give many computer users nightmares.

NotPetya

In 2017, a variant of Petya started infecting computers that were so different that researchers dubbed it ‘NotPetya’ to help people understand it was new ransomware. NotPetya was part of a cyberattack in Europe, primarily targeting companies in Ukraine. Later, NotPetya spread to Germany, Italy, France, Poland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Unlike Petya, NotPetya did not seek administrative permissions. It also used a Windows Server Message Block (SMB) protocol exploit called EternalBlue. While many researchers believe that the ransomware started from Russia as a political attack, its exploit may have been stolen from the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA). 

WannaCry

WannaCry got its name from strings of codes found in initial samples of the malware, but the name was apt because it made a lot of organizations want to shed tears of grief. The crypto-ransomware exploited an SMB vulnerability to infect countless hospitals, banks, and other companies globally, costing billions. Investigators later found that elements in North Korea were responsible for the malware. These are four pieces of ransomware with interesting names. To protect your data from any of them, use the most secure version of your operating system and invest in anti-malware technology with ransomware rollback capabilities.

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It’s, however, good to note that Microsoft is working hard to improve security on Windows devices. Windows 10, which is the newest version of the popular desktop operating system, comes with plenty of built-in security protections to help users protect their devices from a wide range of cyber threats, including malware, phishing, and other online attacks.

Let’s look at some of the most common threats facing Windows users and the steps you can take to protect your Windows PC. Read on. 

Risks Facing PC Users

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, an unprecedented number of employees have been forced to work from home. As a result, working from home has become a gateway to new forms of data theft and other malicious activity. Naturally, Windows users are at a higher risk of attack compared to macOS and Linux users.

This section focuses on the most common security risks Windows users face to help you familiarize yourself with the threat landscape and defend yourself better. Take a look.

Phishing

Phishing attacks use email and other digital messaging forms to trick unsuspecting users into surrendering personal details like credit card information and login credentials or installing malware into their computers. Cybercriminals are constantly coming up with sophisticated phishing scams that aid in financial fraud and data breaches.

Malware

Malware is among the most common threats facing Windows users. Any program designed to install on your computer without your knowledge falls under the malware category. Malware creates a backdoor to your system, eventually leading to data theft or other severe attacks. Malware is commonly spread through phishing and email scams.

Data Theft

Personal information and user accounts are prime targets for cybercriminals. The most common targets include login credentials for email accounts, social media profiles, and online financial services. Cybercriminals like to target this information because it’s easier to monetize. For instance, they can use stolen credit card information to rack up fraudulent charges.

Ransomware

One of the most damaging cybersecurity threats at the moment is ransomware. In a ransomware attack, hackers take the victim’s data and encrypt it. The attackers hold system files for ransom, threatening to permanently block or delete the data if the ransom is not paid. Ransomware attacks target personal data with sentimental value or important legal documents.

Malicious Ads

Advertising is the financial backbone of the World Wide Web. However, it’s also a major security concern as far as Windows users are concerned. There are two major issues to worry about when it comes to online advertising; privacy and malware. Websites provide a significant amount of user data to online advertisers.

This information is used to track the user and show customized ads. A lot of people don’t want their site visits to be tracked across multiple sites. In addition to privacy violations, online ads are also used to spread malware. This form of attack is known as Malvertising. Attackers use ad traffic to redirect users to websites that download malware on their computers.

How to Protect Your Windows PC?

As a Windows user, there’s a wide range of cyber threats targeting your device. The good news is that there are steps you can take to make Windows 10 PC more secure in your daily use. Here is what you can do to safeguard your Windows laptop or desktop computer from the threats mentioned above.

Use Strong Passwords

When it comes to unauthorized access to your PC, the password is your first line of defense. If you have a weak password, hackers can easily break into your computer and steal your data. Using strong, unique passwords for your computer and online accounts is one of the most effective ways to keep the data stored on your PC safe.

Enable Two-Factor Authentication

Activate two-factor authentication (2-FA) on your Windows PC to add an extra layer of security. Using 2-FA can help prevent hackers from gaining access to your computer. To set up 2-FA on your Windows PC, you will have to install Microsoft Authenticator on your smartphone. Go to Advanced Security Settings and choose Configure Two-Step Verification to enable 2-FA.

Install a VPN

A Virtual Private Network, often abbreviated as VPN, is an online service that allows you to keep your online activity private and anonymous through encryption. Using a VPN service to encrypt your traffic is crucial when using a public Wi-Fi network to connect to the internet. Free public Wi-Fi networks are notorious hiding places for hackers and other online criminals who can exploit lax security measures to steal sensitive data.

Use Antivirus Software

Reliable antivirus software will protect your device against the different variants of malicious software, including ransomware. It’s essential to have more than one layer of protection as hackers increasingly use sophisticated attack methods to avoid detection. Choose antivirus software with features such as real-time scanning, automatic updates, and a firewall.

Use Windows Mail App for Your Emails

Phishing is the leading cause of cyberattacks in the world. This attack starts with an email that compels the recipient to provide sensitive information to the attackers. Windows comes with built-in phishing protections on native email applications such as Windows Mail and Windows Live Mail. If you are using any of these apps, you will get an alert when a potential phishing email is detected.

Encrypt Your Files With Device Encryption or Bitlocker

Encryption scrambles data and makes it unintelligible. It’s one of the most effective defenses against data breaches as it renders sensitive information useless if it falls in the hands of hackers or any other threat actors. Protect the data on your hard drive with Device Encryption (Windows 10 home users) or Bitlocker (Windows 10 Pro users).

Enable Windows Firewall

Putting your Windows PC behind a firewall is an effective way to ward off external threats. A firewall monitors both the incoming and outgoing traffic on your PC and blocks incoming traffic from suspicious sources. Windows Defender Firewall, the OS’s built-in firewall, is pretty good at keeping malware and hackers from invading your device through your internet connection. 

Keep Your Windows PC Up to Date 

The single most important thing you can do to keep your Windows 10 computer secure is to ensure that it’s up to date at all times. Most of these updates are bug fixes and security patches intended to remove vulnerabilities that could give hackers a backdoor to your system. Windows 10 is set to check and install updates automatically; all you need is a working internet connection. 

Microsoft is by far the most common desktop operating system in the world. The popularity of the OS makes it a target for cybercrime. In terms of ROI, it makes sense for hackers to focus their efforts on Windows PCs. Fortunately, Windows users can significantly reduce the risk of attack by putting a few security measures in place, including the use of strong passwords, installing security software, encrypting their hard drives, and installing updates on time.

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It is therefore important to keep your Windows 10 PC away and safe from any kind of malware threats and infections. This article will walk you through some of the best solutions to keep malware infections away from your Windows 10 PC.

How To Remove Malware From Computer?:

Below are the different solutions to remove and keep your computer safe.

1. Disconnect From Internet:

The Internet is the biggest source of malware infections entering your PC. Most of the time we browse sites that may be illegitimate and may download infectious data or spyware when browsed. This may prove heinous since the malware easily transfers important information to the malware server and poses threats.

2. Work In The Safe Mode:

Safe Mode is the safest mode and blocks the malware that loads automatically on Startup. Loading the Windows 10 PC in Safe Mode makes it easy to remove malware infections.

3. Keep Track Of The Activities Done By Any Malicious Applications Installed:

Another good way to keep malware infections away is to keep close track of the applications you might think are malicious. Browsing the Activity Monitor tells you what functions are being performed by the infected application and you can deal with it accordingly.

You can easily end the process by opening the Resource Monitor. To do so:

• Type Resource Monitor in the Start Menu.

• On the Resource Monitor window look for the task or application you want to end a process for.
• Right-click on the task and finally click on End Process to end the process associated with that application.

4. Check The Browser:

Windows 10 PC when infected by malware threats makes changes to the Web Browser and the Home Page. So it’s always a good idea to keep a check on the settings of the Web Browser. If they have been modified, the possibility is that there is some kind of infection present on your Windows 10 PC.

To check the Chrome Homepage settings follow the steps below:

• Open your Google Chrome web browser.
• On the home page, click on the three-dot icon present in the top-right corner of the screen.
• Now select Settings.
• From the Settings page, click on the Search engine from the left panel.
• Check if the homepage is correct.

5. Delete The Cache:

After you have verified the Browser settings and its Homepage, you should also delete the Cache. This is again a good way to protect the computer from malware infections, To delete the Cache from Internet Explorer and Google Chrome, follow the steps below:

• Open your Google Chrome web browser.
• On the home page, click on the three-dot icon present in the top-right corner of the screen.
• Now select History.
• Select On Clear browsing history from the left panel.
• Finally, click on the date range and finally click on Clear data.

6. Have A Malware Removal Utility Installed: Advanced PC Cleanup:

Advanced PC Cleanup from Systweak Software is a multi-utility tool that keeps your Windows 10 PC optimized and free from all kinds of malware threats and other infections.

It is an advanced tool that scans and deletes redundant files, manages Startup items, removes junk files, and protects your computer from malware threats. and improves the overall health of your Windows 10 PC.

Features:

• Malware Protection scans the PC for any possible infection and malware/spyware infection and effectively removes it. Malware and spyware infections are a major area of concern and should be addressed on priority. Having an infected PC poses serious threats to normal functioning and also steals sensitive information from your Windows 10 PC.
• Junk Cleaner scans for all the junk files lurking in different corners of the system and deletes then restoring precious disk space.
• Startup Manager effectively manages the Startup by disabling the programs that start automatically on bootup and hence hamper the boot time.
• Uninstall Apps Uninstall unwanted applications that occupy disk storage making the system slow.
• Old Downloads are the downloads that we download via links, attachments, and also email. These attachments are of one-time use usually and then sit on your Windows 10 PC occupying substantial storage space. Advanced PC Cleanup effectively scans and deletes their old downloads.
• Recycle Bin is another important feature. Deleting a file does not mean that it is permanently removed from your System. It is simply moved to the Recycle Bin. In order to remove the files permanently, files from the Recycle Bin should be deleted. The feature does the same and restores disk space. Download today

In a nutshell, malware is an infection that gains unauthorized access to your Windows 10 PC and damages your PC to a great extent. These malware threats not addressed on priority can be heinous. Hence we should either perform the manual steps or use a third-party application to protect our computer from malware.

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