files

Thu
18
Dec
Brandon Dimmel's picture

TorrentLocker Ransomware Spreading Fast: Report

A new report from security firm ESET finds that the TorrentLocker ransomware scam has now encrypted an estimated 285 million files. Unfortunately, ESET security experts don't see the rate of infections dropping off any time soon. A TorrentLocker ... infection, like other ransomware schemes (such as CryptoWall or CryptoLocker ), usually takes place when a victim downloads a malicious file. Although the name TorrentLocker might suggest infections come through the way of torrents (a file typically used for file sharing), it does not; in fact, most TorrentLocker infections come through email. ... (view more)

Mon
08
Dec
Dennis Faas's picture

Recovery Disk is Full; Can I Delete Files?

Infopackets Reader 'pthamilton' writes: " Dear Dennis, I have a Dell XPS M1330 laptop computer. I get frequently recurring messages that my D drive (recovery drive) is full. Can I delete files on my recovery drive? Also, if I upgrade to Windows 7 or ... Windows 8, will it stop the 'disk is full' error messages? Thank You. " My Response: In general, it is not recommended that you delete any files from the recovery drive, as it contains disk image files used to restore your system to default configuration when you first purchased the computer. If you downloaded or copied files onto the D drive, you ... (view more)

Thu
20
Nov
Brandon Dimmel's picture

MS Kills OneDrive 'Placeholders' for 'Selective Sync'

Microsoft is facing a storm of protest over its decision to remove a popular feature from its OneDrive cloud storage service. The change is set to take shape when the company's next operating system, Windows 10 , is released next year. In Windows ... 8.1, OneDrive shows ' smart files ', otherwise known as ' placeholders ' stored on the cloud, but not available on a local device. If a user decides they want to view or edit that file and double click on it, OneDrive begins to download the file to local storage. The advantage of smart files is simple: they let users view the entire contents of ... (view more)

Tue
18
Nov
Brandon Dimmel's picture

Expert: CoinVault Ransom a Scam; Don't Negotiate

Cybercriminals behind a brand new type of ransomware scam have implemented a new strategy they hope will convince more people to pay up. Unlike other ransomware scams, this one offers victims the ability to reclaim some of their files for "free." ... Ransomware is a type of malware that locks users out of their systems . In most cases, a victim must pay a fee -- usually around several hundred dollars -- to reclaim control of their computers. However, there's no guarantee that a ransomware cybercriminal will follow through on the deal, and most security experts advise against ... (view more)

Wed
12
Nov
Brandon Dimmel's picture

'Exact Duplicate Finder 0.9.7.16', and 'W8 Sidebar 5.0'

Exact Duplicate Finder 0.9.7.16 As the name suggests, Exact Duplicate Finder is designed to help you find and eliminate duplicate files stored on your system. It features a simple and clean interface that groups identical files by location. It's ... also extremely fast, making it easy to find and delete dupe files. http://indeepsoft.blogspot.ca/ W8 Sidebar 5.0 W8 Sidebar can help you learn more about your critical system components. Its user-friendly interface shows you information about your processor, memory, storage drives, network connections, and more. And while the name suggests ... (view more)

Wed
08
Oct
Brandon Dimmel's picture

'The Godfather 0.88', and 'OooPlayer 1.4'

The Godfather 0.88 The Godfather is a software program that will make you an offer few can refuse: it will help you organize your favorite mp3, ogg, mpc, ape, flac, aac, apl, wv, mp4, ofr, spx or tta music files. The Godfather helps you find a ... eliminate duplicate files, set tags for your files, and catalog your files in an accessible way. http://www.jtclipper.eu/ OooPlayer 1.4 On some systems Apple's iTunes can be a real "hog", drastically reducing system performance. OooPlayer is lightweight playlist-based music player, meaning it won't dominate your system, making it ... (view more)

Mon
16
Dec
Dennis Faas's picture

CryptoLocker Copycats Emerge, Demand $150 Ransom

Copycats are now using their own version of the CryptoLocker ransomware scam to steal hundreds of dollars from victims. The new malware is called 'Locker' and demands targets pay $150 USD to reclaim lost files. Locker was recently discovered by ... security firm IntelCrawler, which says the new malware is basically the same as CryptoLocker: after an infection takes hold, files are scrambled and only retrieved after a ransom is paid. So far, Locker infections have been reported in the United States, Holland, Germany, Turkey, and Russia. In the US, people in Washington DC, Texas, and Missouri have ... (view more)

Fri
22
Nov
Dennis Faas's picture

Police Dept Duped by 'CryptoLocker' Ransomware Scam

Against the advice of security experts, a police department has paid a $750 ransom to cybercriminals who corrupted its file system using a 'ransomware' attack. The Swansea Police Department in Massachusetts was hit by a virus called 'CryptoLocker' . ... It's not yet known how the virus got onto the police department's system, though the most likely explanation is that somebody opened an email attachment laced with the virus. Many previous CryptoLocker infections have come through bogus emails claiming to carry a delivery note from a courier company. The good news was that the virus didn't affect ... (view more)

Mon
11
Nov
Dennis Faas's picture

'CryptoLocker' Takes Your Digital Life Hostage

The newest and most frightening threat on the web is the 'CryptoLocker' ransomware, which allows cybercriminals to take control of your digital life and then offer it back to you for a fee. Thankfully, there are ways to prevent an infection. Like ... many other infections, CryptoLocker is most often spread through malicious email attachments. However, the malware can also be deployed through malicious pages on websites and compromised browser plugins. According to reports, a CryptoLocker infection allows cybercriminals to "scramble" all of you important files -- from images to Word documents to ... (view more)

Mon
17
Jun
Dennis Faas's picture

NSA Scandal: Google Reveals How It Shares Your Data

Google has revealed extensive details about what it does when the government asks for access to your personal data. It's part of an ongoing attempt by the search giant to distance itself from the National Security Agency (NSA) surveillance scandal . ... Google's explanation is designed to make a clear point: that it delivers the data directly to the government, rather than allowing the government to physically access Google computers. The company wants to make clear it doesn't allow officials the opportunity to access more data than the law requires. (Source: nytimes.com ) Google continues to ... (view more)

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