New Variant of CryptoLocker Virus Spreading

Over the past few years, a category of viruses known as CryptoLocker/CryptoWall have appeared. These viruses do not steal information or install other malicious software, instead they encrypt data on computers and servers, preventing your from accessing it. The creators of the virus will demand a ransom to release the encryption key needed to gain access to your own data. Even though this data can almost always be recovered from backups, infection may still cause hours or days of downtime and lost productivity. It also often causes a few hours of data to be lost even with good backups.

This week we have seen a new variant of this virus (version 4 for those counting) spreading. The current method involves a ZIP file attached to an email. We are asking all customers to be extremely cautious before opening any email attachments, especially ZIP files.

See below for a screenshot sample of one of these emails and a sample of what encrypted data looks like. Please contact Sierra Computer Group immediately if you notice any suspicious emails or notice that you are unable to access any files. If you’d like to discuss the topic further or have any questions, please contact our sales team at 775-322-6455.

-Sierra Computer Group Technical Staff