Where does ransomware come from?

[Hellser]

As Rachael said in this thread, and I've said before. Keep your operating system up to date. Windows, Linux and Macs all have vulnerabilities. Turning off Windows Update because "it bothers me in the middle of doing something" is, in my opinion and borrowing Graf's words here: an inane reason.

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Windows has built in security options which protects the user. The top thing that people turn off right away is UAC -- User Account Control. You know. That screen darkening + popup message that says "chrome_setup.exe is attempting to modify your computer"? Meet the first wall of defense an average, non-power user will encounter. Something that they'll Google to turn off because it IS annoying. But it's such a wonderful shield for the less technically inclined. It'll let you know what's being installed or ran on your computer. If you don't know a program or trust it.. just tell it 'No, don't run it'. The average non-power user just probably saved their computer from a ransomware attack.

Windows Update for Windows 10 is TONS better than how it used to be. Especially during the Windows XP->Windows 8.1 era. Windows needed to update, so it did so by brute forcing you into restarting your computer so it can apply its updates. Now a days, Windows installs its minor patches behind the scenes. If it needs to restart (usually due to a major patch), it will try to restart when you are inactive -- like when you are sleeping, or when it detects you aren't actively using the computer after a set number of hours. But I noticed it tries its best to restart during the inactive hours.

So please. Keep Windows up to date. It's worth it.

[Rachael]

On the one hand, no one can go wrong to be extra cautious when it comes to cyber security, regardless of attack trends... on the other hand, if everyone in the world is too chill about it, it'll make attacks easier to execute and of course the scaremongerers get to say "I TOLD YOU SO!!!!".

Meh, if something big was going to happen, there most probably won't be any gradual lead-ups... personally, if I wanted to attack my enemies, I'd like to get them when they'd least expect it. One, two, BOOM.

While I agree with you that you can't be too careful when it comes to security, his comments had little to do with that and were leading to something else. It's always one thing or another that leads to some sort of conspiracy or "big thing coming" - if we lived every day in fear of every minor event that took place the stress alone would kill us by age 40.

You can exercise caution without fear. And even if you are scared, there's no reason to turn it into the next big thing. It's been more than 8 months since people thought the world was going to end because of what happened in America. Little hint: we're still here. Seriously - relax.

[Wiw]

Right... relax... sorry, I tend to overthink these things...

[vólentiæn]

ransomware usually comes from emails an email attachments but it can also come bundled with downloaded progrms

[Graf Zahl]

if we lived every day in fear of every minor event that took place the stress alone would kill us by age 40.

Too bad this isn't also true for politicians...

[Rachael]

Too bad this isn't also true for politicians...

Well considering some of them have pretty much sold their souls...