Getting a virus on your computer can wreak havoc with your life, but when it's a ransom virus, that adds a whole new level of anxiety.

  • 'Crypto-locker' viruses demand payment for access to files
  • New version of crypto-locker virus, Jigsaw, uses scary clown avatar
  • 'Key-logger' viruses steal personal info as users type it

A "crypto-locker" is one of the nastiest computer viruses out there, according to computer expert Jacob Lott, owner of Tampa Computer Doctors.

“It’s a modern-day terrorist,” Lott said.

Wayne Thomson, one of Lott’s clients, knows the panic of getting a crypto-locker virus all too well.

“It popped up and said my files had been encrypted, and if I wanted to get any of my files back, I should be paying a $500 ransom,” Thomson explained.

Typically, the crypto-locker threat asks for a ransom of between $100 and $500. According to the warning message, people have a certain amount of time to pay (generally several days) in order to recover the connection to their files.

Jigsaw: the latest threat

As if that’s not bad enough, the latest version of crypto-locker ramps it up a notch. It’s called Jigsaw and uses a scary clown as its logo.

“They mess with you. They say, ‘I want to play a game with you. Let me explain the rules: Your personal files are being deleted, your photos, videos, files, etc.,” Lott said, reading from a screen shot of the Jigsaw virus on Google images.

Jigsaw takes antagonizing the victim to a new level by cutting the amount of time you have to pay before damage is done. A clock ticks down, giving you just one hour to act.

“If you don’t pay them immediately or if you restart your computer or you attempt to remove the virus in the wrong way, it’ll automatically delete 1,000-1,500 files every single time, permanently,” Lott said.

Key-logger viruses

So-called “key-logger” viruses also pose a serious threat to computer users. They allow criminals to steal credit card numbers, passwords and other sensitive data.

“Key-logger viruses log your key strokes to gain access to your email accounts, bank accounts and credit card accounts,” Lott said.

Key-loggers are dangerous because you often have no idea you have them. They hide in the background and don’t cause any trouble, capturing credit card numbers and passwords as you type them, for as long as they can avoid detection.

Mac viruses

 

Contrary to popular belief, Lott says Apple computers can also get viruses, there just aren’t as many hackers trying to attack them, because Apple makes up a smaller share of the market.

“Macs get about 10 percent of the market share. Ninety percent of the computers sold have the Windows operating system, so the majority of viruses are still going to be written for a Windows operating system.”

Still, Lott said viruses created for Macs can be much more damaging, because they’re often targeted for financial information and identity theft.

Avoiding viruses

To get into your computer, viruses most often depend on you clicking on something you shouldn’t, like an unsolicited email with a link, password protected zip file, or other attachment.

Be careful. Don’t fall for it. One wrong click can lead to big problems.

“I was kind of in shock,” Thomson said, recalling the moment he realized his computer was infected with a crypto-locker virus. “I didn’t know what to do to be honest. I just froze.”

He learned a hard lesson. 

“All my personal files are gone. Excel files, Microsoft Word files, pictures, documents, pretty much anything. There are pictures in there that I still wish I could get, but I can’t.”

What to do? Should a victim pay the ransom?

“Absolutely not," Lott said. "If nobody pays, then they won’t write any more of these viruses.”

No matter what, there’s no easy solution if it’s your computer that’s affected.

“Losing all your kids' pictures or paying the ransom is pretty devastating, one way or the other,” Lott acknowledged.

And even if you do pay, there’s no guarantee.

“Only about half the time when you pay it do you get your files back.”

Best advice

The best advice on how to protect yourself: don’t click on suspicious links, and never open unsolicited emails or their attachments. Also, make sure you have a good backup system in place, just in case. Crypto-lockers can’t hurt you if you’ve been backing up your data. So, be sure to install reliable anti-virus software like Norton, Kaspersky or McAfee, among others.