Tad Rowe with the Simmons and White engineering firm has seen it before.
“We started getting a screen that was asking us to pay to have the files unlocked,” he says.
A few years ago, a ransom-ware attack threatened to bring his engineering firm to its knees.
“Our business relies on the information that's on our server. To lose all that information would be devastating,” Rowe says.
A strong back up system allowed him to survive that attack, but this new attack gives him Deja Vu.
“I keep waiting for it to happen again,” he says.
WPTV's Internet Security Expert Alan Crowetz (www.Infostream.cc) has dealt with Tad's attack and many others.
However, he says this one is on another level, globally.
“This is easily the biggest. Easily.”
He says you can protect yourself right now by patching the vulnerability in your Windows computer.
“All you have to do is click on your start button and start typing windows update. You want to go in there and check for all updates.”
Also, make sure your files are backed up.
“Get a copy of your data off your computer,” he advises. “Have copies in more than one place.”
What if it's too late, should you pay?
Tad says in his case, he would have.
“The couple hundred dollars they were asking for would've been worth getting our files back,” he says.
Alan says seen cases where that's actually worked, but it should be an absolute last resort.
“There is no guarantee, there's no going after these guys for refunds, there's no reason they can't just take your money and walk.”
In addition, the payment process isn't easy, as the attackers only accept Bitcoin.
“Electronic untraceable cash… and it's difficult for the typical user to get Bitcoins. You have to all through all kinds of gyration, different accounts.”