A new ransomware variant is currently circulating that locks your entire computer from booting up. The new threat is called “Petya,” and instead of looking for your most important files to encrypt, it encrypts your entire drive, according to G Data Software.
The malware lands on its victims' computers via an email purporting to be from someone looking for a job. The email contains an attached "resume" note that is actually the ransomware.
The malware is hosted on Dropbox. Once the “resume” is downloaded to the computer, the ransomware deletes the boot records, forcing the victim’s computer to shut down.
When attempting to restart, a message appears stating that the computer is trying to fix an error and that the process may take several hours. During this time, the malware encrypts the victim's entire disk.
Once the process is complete, the user is presented with the bitter truth: They must pay a ransom via Tor or lose access to everything on their hard drive. The ransom doubles after seven days.
As with many of these attacks, Petya relies on the bad habit of many internet users of clicking on any link they come across.
One sure way to reduce the risks of such an infection is to not open files from people you don't know. Consider that even if you do know them, they may have fallen victim to a malicious attack themselves.
For more measures to protect your computer:
