Spade Technology: Blog

Watch Out for Suspicious Emails Claiming to Be From Outlook!

They Could Lock Down Your Files and Hold Your Business Hostage!

suspicious emailsThere’s a terrible new kind of virus circling around the Internet these days that business owners need to be on the lookout for. All it takes is opening the wrong email attachment, and BAM! All your files and applications get locked out, and all you see is a terrible warning message:

PAY US MONEY OR YOU NEVER SEE YOUR FILES AGAIN!

This is frightening new reality of ransomware. Once a ransomware virus infects your computer, your files are completely locked out. If you don’t have a comprehensive backup solution in place, you’ll have no choice but to either pay the cybercriminals their ransom money, or else wipe your computer and start from scratch.

Not appealing options, are they?

Spade Technology can protect you from getting suckered by these hackers. We’re constantly on the lookout for new strains of ransomware so we can tell you what signs to watch out for. Recently, a new variant of the Cryptowall virus started showing its ugly face to businesses in the Mansfield area. Here are the warning signs:

  • Emails with the subject line, “Important – New Outlook Settings”
  • Emails from an “outlook-us.com” domain name.

The cybercriminals behind this variant are hoping that you trust the Outlook name enough to open their emails up and fall into their trap. Don’t get suckered in! These signs may easily start to change over the next few weeks, so you have to be wary of any suspicious looking emails. Here are some important tips:

  • Never open unsolicited emails from unfamiliar domain names.
  • Never download attachments from anyone you don’t know, and even be careful of existing contacts if the attachment is a .zip or .exe file.
  • Never give out information like your username or password in an email – a real company will never ask for info like that by email.

Don’t find yourself caught by viruses like Cryptowall without a backup plan. The best way to stay safe is to ensure that, even if you accidentally do download a virus, all you have to do is call Spade Technology so they can restore your systems with your backups. With our automated backup system, you can quickly and easily turn back the clock to before the virus was downloaded, and start fresh without worry.

Keep your business and your technology safe from whatever threat the future might hold. Contact Spade Technology at (508) 332-4849 or info@spadetechnology.com today to create a disaster recovery solution that will let you rest easy knowing no hacker can ever hold your Mansfield business hostage.