It’s hard enough for non-technical users to deal with ransomware infections: understanding public-key cryptography, connecting to the Tor anonymity network and paying with Bitcoin cryptocurrency. A new malicious program now makes it even more difficult by completely locking victims out of their computers.
The new Petya ransomware overwrites the master boot record (MBR) of the affected PCs, leaving their operating systems in an unbootable state, researchers from antivirus firm Trend Micro said in a blog post.
The MBR is the code stored in the first sectors of a hard disk drive. It contains information about the disk’s partitions and launches the operating system’s boot loader. Without a proper MBR, the computer doesn’t know which partitions contain an OS and how to start it.
Trend Micro researchers say Petya is distributed through spam emails that masquerade as job applications. This suggests that its creators target businesses in particular, with the messages being directed at human resources departments.
The emails have a link to a shared Dropbox folder that contains a self-extracting archive posing as the applicant’s CV and a fake photo. If the archive is downloaded and executed, the ransomware is installed.
The malicious program will rewrite the computer’s MBR and and will trigger a critical Windows error that will cause the computer to reboot—a condition known as a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD).
Following this initial reboot, the rogue MBR code will display a fake Windows check disk operation that normally occurs after a hard disk error, according to computer experts from popular tech support forum BleepingComputer.com.
During this operation, the ransomware actually encrypts the master file table (MFT). This is a special file on NTFS partitions that contains information about every other file: their name, size and mapping to the hard disk sectors...
This nasty ransomware overwrites your PC's master boot record | PCWorld
Trying to stay one step ahead of ransomware and other nasties, I make a weekly backup, run a quality antivirus, malwarebytes and stay away from sites that I feel might be unsafe.
I do daily backups, and when I remember to, I use a VM for questionable sites and software.
This a good one to install. Downloading Malwarebytes Anti-Ransomware
Its better to get it from the source.
Introducing Malwarebytes Anti-Ransomware Beta - Malwarebytes Anti-Ransomware Beta - Malwarebytes blog
Looks like hacking got more sophisticated
Have a backup image in hand and get your self a copy of " Sandboxie Control 5.10 latest version " and educate your self, via you tube instruction's and you wont ever have one worry about getting nailed by any of these evil and criminal engineered attacks on any or your devices...
Like I have said before it takes me at least three days to set up a clean install and configured to my taste " if no back up in in hand "
Sandboxie is the most import protection on the market if you educate yourself in how it works and the ins and outs " been using this very fine app for the last 8 years and hands down " not one glitch or a fatal attack on any of my toys " Windows, Mac, and Linux and on a couple of smartphones powered by android
Deep Freeze is also a must have asset
I use Malwarebytes and Avast Pro AV. Avast comes with a browser, Safe Zone it is called.
I NOW backup after a little problem about 2 weeks ago. I do hope I am SAFE.
Now to clarify aren't most newer systems UEFI, which no longer uses the MBR method? and thus making the virus non-invasive?
I thought that was, in part, one of the purposes of UEFI?
Yes. If you installed Windows via UEFI then that ransomware doesn't do anything since EFI doesn't use boot sectors such as the MBR and uses a EFI file located on the partition. It also helps to have Secure Boot enabled since that also prevents any tampering with the EFI files.Now to clarify aren't most newer systems UEFI, which no longer uses the MBR method? and thus making the virus non-invasive?
I thought that was, in part, one of the purposes of UEFI?
