Protecting Against Imminent Virus Threats

You are the best anti-virus protection District computers have. Follow these 5 steps to protect yourself and others from unnecessary loss of data. Help others you work with follow these steps. The District is facing an imminent virus threat from "ransomware." 

BACKGROUND

Earlier this year, you saw how emails were being used to spread a web site that sought to steal your GoogleApps login credentials. Over the last few days, staff opening ransomware--a form of software that infects your machine when you double-click on it and encrypts your files, then demands you pay them for decrypting them--included in email attachments have unwittingly spread the virus across the District.

STEPS

Take these steps to safeguard your hard work in computer documents and files on your computer:

1. Look before you click! Avoid clicking on email attachments that come from people you do not know. Email attachments with "exe," "zip," are suspicious. Also, do NOT go into your SPAM folder on GoogleMail and click on the email attachments. Those messages are marked as SPAM because they are unwanted, inappropriate, and/or may contain malware email attachments.
2. Connect before opening. Even if you DO know someone sending you a file, ask yourself, "Was I expecting a file from this person?" If yes, call and connect with them...ask, "Did you send me this file?" If the answer is "No," then delete it. If it's important, they will reach out to you again.
3. Avoid clicking on email attachments via your personal email on a work computer, especially if it is a Yahoo email account given the types of malware spreading ads that find themselves displayed on that service.
4. Scan files before opening them. You can right-click a file, save it to your computer, then choose to virus-scan it before opening it. If you don't know how, ask your campus technician or a tech-savvy person nearby.
5. Backup your Data to GoogleDrive. If you plug-in your USB external hard drive or USB stick/pendrive and work from there, be aware that viruses spread via USB drives and ransomware will actually make your data unusable. Even worse, if you have cloud storage--like Dropbox or GoogleDrive Sync--(where your files are automatically backed up when you place them in a certain folder (e.g. Dropbox)), be aware that ransomware WILL encrypt those files and they will be auto-saved to your cloud storage provider. Better to turn those services off and manually back them up (i.e. go to the Dropbox or Drive web site, click on the upload button). Make backups of your ECISD data to Google Drive rather than just saving them on a USB flash drive. Watch this video tutorial

Here's one example of how a virus is being spread...DO NOT click on these messages or risk becoming infected; notice the spam filter warning that appears:

Finally, remember that if you should encounter signs your computer is acting funny, your data has disappeared or been renamed to something you do not recognize, you can stop the problem in its tracks from malware doing more damage by turning it off, then submitting a HelpDesk request or calling the Technology HelpDesk at 210-649-2343.

For Home Users who may be facing virus threats or fear they have been infected, use these tools. Note that this does not constitute a purchase recommendation since these tools are available for free, personal home use:

Anti-Malware/AntiVirus

1. Windows Solutions:
1. Anti-Malware
1. Malware Bytes* - Great to use when you think your computer has been infected with malware/spyware and you need your computer "cleaned out."
2. AntiRansomware
3. Spyware Blaster*- An easy to use "innoculation" program against spyware/malware.
4. Spybot Search and Destroy* - Best part of Spybot is the TeaTimer which protects your computer's registry against contamination and immunizes your browsers (IE,Firefox) against malware.
2. AntiVirus
1. Sophos AntiVirus - This is a free, home/personal version of the antivirus the District uses. Available for Mac and Windows computers.
2. AVG AntiVirus* - A nice antivirus program.