Virus Attacks PCs of Moore Public Schools

The computer systems of Oklahoma USA, Moore School District were recently infected with a malicious virus, published news9.com dated September 4, 2015.

Information Technology expert of the district, who was requested to restore the contaminated systems, is still at work, however, it isn't yet clear about the way the contamination occurred.

The virus seemingly is an extortionist malware that attacked Moore Public Schools. The district found it on September 2, 2015 around 8 a.m.

According to Moore Public Schools' Dustin Horstkoetter, soon as the virus got detected the School's Technology Director switched off all servers.

But, the malware named CryptoLocker, which is one kind of ransomware, have held the files on the computers captive demanding payment to get the decryption code for unlocking them. Teachers are currently compelled for doing the lesson plans again.

Specialists state that disturbingly ransomware is getting increasingly profitable and is being frequently used.

Chief Information Security Officer Mark Gower of Oklahoma said that the attackers weren't really after seizing the School's data rather they were at the place for making money. News9.com published this.

The most frequent way users' PCs become contaminated with ransomware is through e-mail. Hackers pretend to be somebody the victim knows, like some friend, relative else colleague. If the e-mail recipient opens the message and views the attachment within, it's then that his files become infected.

For safeguarding one's PC and folders, Gower suggests never following web-links inside e-mail instead to visit the website directly via the Web-browser. One mustn't also download any file with .exe extension. Moreover, passwords should be regularly reset while back-up of vital data-files maintained.

According to Gower, incase any user does get hit with a ransomware, he must be careful not to pay the money demanded for that means encouraging cyber-crime even more.

Disturbingly, computer virus hitting an educational institution like the Moore Public Schools, during August 2015, isn't the lone case, note police officials. During September first week, 2015, the Indiana, US-located Saint Mary's College also got struck with a PC-virus when students got e-mails supposedly from teachers and other staff members that contained web-links leading to viruses.

» SPAMfighter News - 9/21/2015