A computer repair client asked me about protecting against Ransomware. From what I’ve read, Ransomware is a real threat for Windows users but I don’t know prevalent it is. I’ve read articles that say it’s the fastest growing type of malware. I have witnessed it twice a few years ago on two different clients’ computers and I couldn’t recover their files because they got encrypted by the Ransomware. Many articles warn that once your files are encrypted, there usually isn’t anything you can do on your own. Many articles say there is no guarantee that paying the ransom will get your files back.
One defense is to back up your data often and keep a copy off-line (not connected to your computer). Then if your windows computer gets infected, your backup is safe. A second defense would be to use Microsoft Windows less and Linux computers more and that is what I do. Also, keep your windows operating system patched and current as updates are offered to your computer.