MEPX
Chapter 8 of 10All chapters
  1. 1Who is actually after you
  2. 2Passwords
  3. 3Two factor authentication
  4. 4Phishing and social engineering
  5. 5Updates and patching
  6. 6Encryption
  7. 7Networks and public wifi
  8. 8Malware and ransomware
  9. 9Access and least privilege
  10. 10When something goes wrong

Chapter 8 of 10

Malware and ransomware

How machines get infected.

The usual routes

A downloaded file, a macro in a document, a fake installer or a browser extension asking for too much. Most infections need a person to run something.

  • Ransomware encrypts files and demands payment, and paying rarely restores everything.
  • Keyloggers and info stealers are quieter and often go unnoticed for months.

Backups

The rule is three copies, on two kinds of media, one of them offline or immutable. A backup that is always connected gets encrypted along with everything else.