Fake Ransomware Shows That Fear is Often Our Worst Enemy

Ransomware is horrible, there’s no way around that fact. During the first half of this past year, 2021, there was a huge increase in ransomware attacks that made it hard for individuals and businesses to continue. But now, there’s another thing to be worried about: fake ransomware attacks.

Because ransomware is a really bad threat, hackers are starting processes to pretend that people’s systems have been affected by ransomware. Then, they use fear to their advantage to get what they want. If you think your computer is infected, what might you do to fix it? Especially if you’re making rash and quick decisions. Would you panic or go through established steps to fix the problem?

This is a difficult question because it is hard to know how you would react to a situation like this one. From a trusted IT resource like MyTek, we definitely recommend that you don’t panic and that you take it slowly so you can figure out what to do safely. First, report the attack to us, and we can help.

Without getting a professional involved, it can be incredibly difficult to figure out the scope or scale of an attack, if there is even a breach at all. Hackers might instill fear so they can attack, or scam someone into paying hundreds or thousands of dollars. The language used might be called a ransom, or they will threaten to lock you out of your computer.

If you get an email that you were caught doing something embarrassing or incriminating, and there is an attachment linked… would you be curious and click on it? This panic and fear just led you to install a real virus onto your computer. If they say they have a photo of you but you have to pay so they’ll give it to you and delete it elsewhere, would you? 

This is exactly how these fake ransomware attacks work and they are really effective when low fees are compared to the massive amounts of money they can obtain from people. Before ever jumping to conclusions or letting fear rule your actions, talk with a professional to see if these threats are real at all. MyTek can protect your business, but we’ll need your help to do so.