Probably you heard about ransomware or you got infected.
But what is a ransomware?
Ransomware is a type of malware that prevents or limits users from accessing their system, either by locking the system’s screen or by locking the users’ files unless a ransom is paid. More modern ransomware families, collectively categorized as crypto-ransomware, encrypt certain file types on infected systems (eg. documents and multimedia files) and forces users to pay the ransom through certain online payment methods to get a decrypt key.
Prevention is the first rule. Have always a regular backup of your important files or better a full system image so if accidentally you got infected by ransomware you can easily restore your files/system.
Ransomware generally are injected by malicious software installed (eg. downloaded from web sites or within email attachments).
There are various free software that allows to protect your system: BitDefender Antiransomware, MalwareBytes Anti-Ransomware, SBGuard Anti-Ransomware, CryptoPrevent Malware Protection (available both as free and commercial versions), RansomFree,
MBRFilter, Acronis Ransomware Protection.
There are also some tools that allows to scan the system and remove ransomware if you have been infected or to find vulnerabilities and fix them: Trend Micro AntiRansomware, Trend Micro Ransomware Screen Unlocker Tool, Kaspersky Ransomware Decryptor, Kaspersky Anti-Ransomware tool, RansomwareRemovalKit, Eternal Blues.
Bitdefender Ransomware Recognition Tool is a free tool that helps detecting ransomware family and version.
The problem is that everyday a new ramsoware variant born, so become difficult to detect / remove.
To keep updated about ransoware news follow Bleeping Computer and Security Affairs blog where are reported also the new antiransomware / decrypter tools released.
Useful resources:
The No More Ransom Project website collect various decryption tools.
ID Ransomware allows to identify ransomware by uploading ransomware note and a sample of encrypted file.