It seems like there’s always a new virus going around, doesn’t it? Unfortunately, cybercriminals are becoming more sophisticated than ever before; creating new viruses, or variants of old viruses, to trick people into giving them their sensitive information. In the past few weeks, we’ve noticed a new virus spreading rapidly through email – and you or one of your staff members might be the next unsuspecting victim!
The virus, known as “the Battdil.I Trojan” arrives via email as a zip file; and once the zip file is opened, there’s an .SCR or .EXE file inside that serves as the dropper for the actual virus. Essentially, the virus hijacks Outlook and spreads itself to everyone in your address book – wreaking havoc on all of your friends, family, and colleagues.
Once your system is infected with the virus, the cybercriminals behind the virus are able to:
- Download files from a remote computer and/or the Internet.
- Shut down/restart specific files or the computer itself.
- Steal sensitive information.
- Set up a proxy server.
- Run executable files.
So how do you protect yourself against this dangerous virus? Well, here’s a few tips to help you stay safe:
- Never open attachments: If you’ve received an email with an attachment, call the sender and verify if they did or didn’t send the email. Don’t open the attachment without verification!
- Install and run anti-virus & spam filtering software: If you haven’t already, install and run anti-virus software and spam filtering software to keep your systems protected.
- Educate your employees on best practices: Make sure your employees know how to spot a malicious attachment or dangerous website; and check in to make sure they’re following best practices.
Interested in learning more about the latest virus that’s spreading through email? Give us a call at (604) 986-8170 or send us an email at info@compunet.ca. Compunet InfoTech is happy to help you stay safe while communicating via email or browsing the web.
