[Rockin Robbins]

Ditto on Neal's questions.

Prevention is worth a pound of cure. So this time, follow Neal's advice and be nice to Microsloth, trying as that may be.

I use a program called KeePass2, which is free and multiplatform--works in Windows and Linux with the SAME DATABASE! That way I don't have two databases fighting each other all the time. Just do a Google search for KeePass.

The KeePass database of passwords is password protected, unlike your "secure" Internet Exploder or Chrome. Firefox does have a password protected password database, but it isn't as secure as KeePass by a long shot. KeePass not only saves all your passwords by website, but it has the ability to generate random passwords to rules that you specify, at will. I recommend keeping the KeePass password file on a flash drive and removing the flash drive when you're not using your computer. That way ransomware can't lock up your passwords.

Now, as to ransomware itself. We can't assume that ANY form of protection is adequate. There are mighty expensive "anti-ransomware" snake oils out there and I believe they're all exactly worthless.

They're worthless because these ransomware attacks typically use you as the trojan force, voluntarily installing the slimeware on your machine. These social engineering guys are good. You can be alert, but you CANNOT be alert enough. If ransomware wants on your machine, it will find a way to get there.

First of all the ransomware attacks are directed toward older, un-updated machines, usually Windows 7 or XP. Second, they are directed toward public institutions and financial institutions. As a place without deep pockets, we are collateral damage, not really targets of ransomware. But your experience shows that we are not immune.

Properly managed, ransomware is completely harmless: a nuisance, not a show stopper. You never need to pay the ransom, even $300. The solution is less than $100.

First, buy an external hard drive the same capacity as your computer's hard drive, or the combined capacity of all drives permanently attached to your computer. Ransomware seeks out all connected drives and locks up all of them, so you must protect all of them. Therefore your procedure is back up, then disconnect the external drive until your next backup. This is crucial or your backup will also get locked.

Now download a free piece of software called Veeam Endpoint Backup. You can use commercial software, like Acronis True Image, but I've found that since Acronis went all gaga over cloud backup their software has gotten unnecessarily complex and difficult to use. Veeam Endpoint Backup is simple and does the same thing.

Let me talk about backups. What you're familiar with is file backup systems. They back up all your data files only. When disaster strikes you have to wipe out your hard drive, reinstall Windows, go through the activation process, install each and every program you've lost (you DO have the installation files, don't you? You DO have a written list of all passwords, favorites, settings, e-mail addresses.....CRAP! NOBODY can have all that!) But you have to restore all that. Where'd you find that wallpaper you loved so much? Damn!

The second, and the only backup scheme that makes sense is drive image backup. It is a file that contains your entire hard drive, Windows, programs, data, settings, favorites, e-mail addresses, passwords........the whole kit and kaboodle. When you restore a drive image, your entire hard drive as it existed when you made the backup is restored. You boot your system and it is as if NOTHING HAD EVER HAPPENED. It just works.

Remember, that when your computer is backed up, you can't run Acronis True Image or Veeam Endpoint Backup. You have to make a system recovery disk. Just like Subsim, Acronis and Veeam realize that they should use a secure and superior operating system, so they use Linux. When you boot the rescue disk you will be using Linux to recover your Windows installation.

The backup disk will safely delete and wipe everything off your primary hard drive and restore the image without the ransomware. A couple of hours later it will be done, you will reboot your main hard drive and it will be as if the ransomware never existed.

Which brings up the REAL defense to ransomware. Switch to Linux and just laugh at all the foolish Windows people. Even THEY have to depend on Linux to get their systems back IF they properly defend themselves. Hey, you're working on a Linux system right now if you're reading this post. Subsim is hosted on a Linux server.