Locky has been dormant since the end of May; however it is now back and worse than ever…
Locky ransomware has been around for a while, but it appeared to go dormant at the end of May. Unfortunately, this does not mean the makers have had a change of heart. Quite the opposite actually. After, just under a two month hiatus, Locky appears to have a new virus strain that goes by Zepto.
This new ransomware has made its first attack. Zepto was sent out to thousands of users through over 130,000 different emails. According to The Register, these emails are personalized to each recipient and are disguised to be from the company’s executives, such as their CEO, VP of Sales, etc. The emails include a request the user to review a document, invoice or report. Upon “review” the virus enters the PC.
The International Business Times reported Zepto is believed to be associated with Locky due to three basic similarities. First, both viruses use RSA encryption tools, use the same files for infection and have similarities within the ransom messages sent to their victims.
To ensure you are properly protected against the growing ransomware threat, we encourage the following:
- Update your security software protection – When security holes are found in software, the company will issue an update. If you do not update your software, the security holes remain.
- Implement a whitelisting technology – Instead of using a security software that attempts to keep up with the consistently growing threats with blacklisting technology, a whitelist approach can ensure your safety. Malware is growing every day. It’s impossible for a blacklist to keep up. However, by implementing a whitelisting approach, you can properly secure your data against the growing malware threats. For home users, PC Matic provides superior computer security. For enterprise use, Tech Sentry uses our whitelist approach to keep your company’s data safe.
- Ensure your operating system is up-to-date – Again, updates are to fix any issues that may have occurred within the software; without an update those issues are still present. Please note, PC Matic includes patch and driver management to update your systems each time a scan is completed. Tech Sentry Endpoint Suite offers this technology as well.
- Take part in a cyber security training – KnowBe4 offers a great security training for both personal and enterprise PC users.
