Tech giant Garmin was targeted with a ransomware attack last month.
Ransomware is a malware infection. Once your computer is infected your computer gets locked down. Cyber criminals demand a ransom to unlock your computer.
The gang which targeted Garmin is known as EvilCorp. On July 10, the cybersecurity experts at Malwarebytes offered insight into WastedLocker. Their article warned WastedLocker ransomware was being used on specific targets. Rather than making one attack, the strategy hackers used was to attack in 2 waves. The 1st wave, Malwarebytes said, would assess targets’ defenses. The 2nd would be designed to get past the defenses they detected.
Other ransomware attackers have been known to steal data before locking systems. They later auction the data or try to extort victims. With WastedLocker, hackers aim to destroy any backups they find to encourage compliance. The ransom demands have ranged from $500,000 to over $10 million.
How can you protect yourself? Although WastedLocker might not threaten individuals, other ransomware does. You can use the same strategies corporations take to protect their networks for your own protection.
Install Malwarebytes or other anti-malware software. Malwarebytes claims to be able to detect WastedLocker ransomware and others. To learn more or download, visit https://www.malwarebytes.com/for-home/products/ It’s available for Windows, Mac and Chromebook computers as well as Android and iOS phones.
Don’t click alerts or pop-ups which claim there is a problem with your computer. If you are browsing the web and get an alert about a computer problem, close your internet browser. Close the whole program by right-clicking the icon in your taskbar and selecting “close.” Did the alert go away? 
That likely means it wasn’t from your antivirus, antimalware or operating system.
Make offline backups of your important files. Online backups and backups which stay connected to your computer are risky. 
If backups are connected to a network, a ransomware infection could hit them. Regularly copy files to a hard drive you don’t leave connected to your computer.
Next week: Update your internet router