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New Cryptolocker Virus Alert April 2016

Posted by FreshCare Support

In the last 24 hours a new hoax email with a Microsoft Word Attachment has hit the internet.

The Subject is the word URGENT followed by FW: “your name” Witness Subpoena

Example: “URGENT – FW: John – Witness Subpoena”

Please delete this email immediately and DO NOT open the attachment.

The attachment contains a image asking you to allow editing and enable macro’s. Doing this will execute code that downloads and launches a virus. The actual virus is currently unknown, and is not stored in the word document.

REMEMBER: DO NOT OPEN the word attachments unless you are expecting the document AND know the sender.

The best protection against these viruses is user awareness.

Virus emails are becoming smarter and smarter and unfortunately this was not detected by the malware scanning platform. Measures have been taken to further detect these messages.

Online scams and malware are becoming increasingly sophisticated, and while us IT professionals are aware of what to look for and how to fix problems when they arise, we need to ensure all our colleagues are aware of the latest scams.

Below are some tips that can be put in place in order to avoid becoming an easy target.

– Never open an attachment unless you are expecting it. Files from unknown senders often contain some kind of malware or virus.

– Check who is sending you email communication. Be aware that malware, phishing scams or spam may come from unrecognisable or odd email addresses, however legitimate email addresses can be forged easily.

– Only click links from trusted senders. If an email has a link you don’t recognise, take a closer look by hovering your mouse over and checking the destination in your browser. If it doesn’t match, it is not legitimate.

– A reputable company or organisation will never use an email to request personal information. If you think there is a possibility it may be legitimate, type the real URL into your browser or contact the company directly.

The best rule; If unsure don’t open! Call the FreshCare Support Team and we will help you.