3. Virus outbreaks
"Your files are encrypted with RSA-1024 algorithm. To recovery your files you need to buy our decryptor." This is the error message, misspelling and all, created by a recent version of Gpcode.ak, a so-called blackmail Trojan horse. Gpcode.ak sneaks onto your computer, encrypts your files so you can't open them, and then demands a ransom for them.
About eight years ago, in the heyday of virus outbreaks, malware writers seemed to compete for the most attention. Now, many virus writers have moved on to lower-profile -- and more profitable -- activities, like phishing, which tricks people into giving up their passwords, account numbers, and other personal data.
Viruses remain one of the most common data problems, according to the Computer Security Institute.
How to respond: Many viruses can be contained or removed with antivirus software. The Gpcode.ak virus is an exception. However, Kaspersky Lab, which sells antivirus programs, recently released a free program, StopGpcode, that may help you unlock your files without capitulating to the blackmailers.
Preventive measures: Install antivirus software on all company computers and keep the virus definitions up to date. And make sure to back up your data frequently, just in case you need to revert to the last system-restore point before the virus hit. You can also use services like Postini, which, for about $12 per user per year, will remove viruses from e-mails before they reach your inbox.
Companies of a certain size can try something called application whitelisting. Programs like Bit9's Parity, which is available for about $30 per computer for a minimum of 100 machines, allow only software approved by the IT department to run on employee computers.
Image: Mayank Bidawatka works in his home in Bangalore | Photograph: Uriel Sinai/Getty Images
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