Why you Need to Take the Trojan:Win32/Crilock.A Virus Seriously

Trojan:Win32/Crilock.A is a new Internet virus that will cripple your computers. This severe virus is what's known as ransomware because it will hold your PC hostage and steal your data. It first made an appearance on September 10th, 2013, and it's keeping the cyber security world busy. Here's everything you need to know about Trojan:Win32/Crilock.A.

How does it Get on Your Computer?
The Trojan:Win32/Crilock.A virus is fast acting and sneaky. You don't directly download it; instead, it's downloaded by another malware that's already on your system. Therefore, it doesn't need your permission to infect your computer. If your computer is acting buggy, and your antivirus software is out of date, and you have been browsing the Internet since September 10th, then you will immediately want to upgrade your antivirus software and perform a scan.

 The malware responsible for downloading the Trojan:Win32/Crilock.A can come from a variety of poor web browsing practices. Doing things like downloading spam, visiting sketchy websites, and running an old antivirus software can make you a victim of Trojan:Win32/Crilock.A. If your computer is acting buggy and underperforming, then you will want to get it checked out. Poor PC performance could be the Trojan:Win32/Crilock.A embedding itself into your system in preparation of a hostile takeover.

How do You Know if Your PC is Infected?
You will know your PC is infected with the Trojan:Win32/Crilock.A virus because you will be locked out of your computer. This virus will block you from your desktop with a big red browser window that reads, "Your personal files are encrypted." This text box will include instructions to follow that will give you access to your files, which will require you to give the hackers money. This is why the Trojan:Win32/Crilock.A is called ransomware because it will literally hold your computer ransom.

At this point, you may be thinking to yourself, "No problem, I will just turn my computer on and off again and bypass this annoyance." Nope. The Trojan:Win32/Crilock.A virus makes changes to your Windows registry to ensure that it will run every time you reboot your machine, and it will lock you out of your computer by encrypting the fixed and remote drivers, meaning that the hackers are in control and you have to play by their rules.

You Have 72 Hours
With the hackers in control of your PC, you will have 72 hours to meet their demands. The sense of urgency is heightened with a clock display counting down from 72. If you pay the bad guys money, they will provide you with a unique encryption code. This code is a "key" that will "unlock" your PC. The hackers have even made paying them easy, giving you five payment options with easy-to-follow menus. Although, don't think for a second that just because you paid the exhortation fee everything will be okay. Yes, you will be granted access to your PC, but the Trojan:Win32/Crilock.A virus will still be on your computer waiting to strike again.

If you're thinking about calling the hacker's bluff and not paying them, then your key will be destroyed and you will be forever locked out of your computer. If you're thinking about trying something clever and messing with the Trojan:Win32/Crilock.A software, your efforts will be detected and your access key will be destroyed. It's a pretty serious threat because, if the access key is destroyed, your files will forever be encrypted, making them unusable. To make matters worse, your sensitive information on your PC is now in the hands of the hackers. You will want to immediately change the access information to your financial accounts and check for fraudulent purchases.

What You Can do About It
First off, you shouldn't pay the hackers anything. Take a cue from national policy and don't negotiate with terrorists. The best solution for a computer infected with the Trojan:Win32/Crilock.A virus is to have the hard drive wiped and then install your backed up data. Be sure to scan this backed up data with your antivirus software to make sure your new data is clean.

For viruses this nasty, you will want to ask for professional help from the experienced IT technicians at Heart of Texas Network Consultants. We can remove threats like the Trojan:Win32/Crilock.A, along with other viruses that disrupt your business. New viruses like this are hitting the Internet every day. You need to have a strong network security tool in place to prevent these attacks, as well as a reliable data backup solution that will also recover your information in the event that your computers become infected. If your computer is acting funny, or even if everything is running normally, but you are worried about dormant malware inside your system, then give Heart of Texas Network Consultants a call at (254) 848-7100 to protect your business from the worst security threats on the Internet.