**The Dangers of Ransomware: A Threat to Everyone**

Hey guys, this is Austin, and this is something that you never want to see. You've probably heard of Ransomware. It's absolutely everywhere right now, and one of the biggest attacks was actually on a hospital system in the UK, where hundreds of computers were not only made basically useless, but more importantly, there were tons of documents on patients' information, test results, and they're all essentially lost.

This is not an isolated incident. It's happening worldwide, and not only is it affecting normal people's computers, but it's also attacking things like banks and gas stations. Pretty much anything that it can get its hands on. But what is Ransomware? So this actually isn't a new thing. Viruses, of course, have been around for pretty much as long as computers have been, but Ransomware is a slightly different take on it.

Generally, malware isn't this malicious. So sure, if you get a virus, you might have pop-ups, or your computer might be a part of a botnet, but what Ransomware does is it literally holds your files ransom until you pay, and even if you pay, there's no guarantee that you'll actually get any of your information back. Once infected, the Ransomware will start looking through all of your files, so it will find things like pictures, video, music, documents, pretty much anything it can get its hands on and start encrypting it.

And once these files are encrypted, and it doesn't take long, they are basically totally useless to you unless you have the key, which they just so happen to have, and will offer to unlock for you for a very reasonable fee. Generally speaking, once you have actually had your files encrypted, there's really nothing you can do about it.

Ransomware like this has been around for a few years now, but what's different is that there's a new, much more dangerous version of it around: WannaCry. Originally, this was an exploit found by the NSA called Eternal Blue, where they presumably used it for super-secret spy stuff. However, one of their servers was actually leaked and lots of their tools were available publicly, including this one, where bad things started happening.

Eternal Blue is an exploit in Windows networking that is especially dangerous because you don't need to be doing anything wrong to be affected. So you take that and you combine it with Ransomware and you have a very dangerous combination. The good news is that Microsoft has already released a patch to deal with this exploit, but to show you how big of a deal this is, they even released an emergency patch for Windows XP, which came out in 2001.

If your computer is fully up-to-date, you are safe from WannaCry, but of course, there are lots and lots and lots of computers that are not fully up-to-date. Some countries have huge percentages of PCs that are running pirated Windows that might not be getting updates. There are plenty of companies that can't just immediately update their systems.

**Testing the Impact of WannaCry**

To test what happens when your files get encrypted by WannaCry, Austin decides to try it out on his own computer. He opens up a file that he knows is infected with WannaCry and... it's like a .WinCry file? Okay, so I'm gonna try to open it up. Yeah, it's all complete garbage. So, it's encrypted. There's no way I'm doing anything with that.

Thankfully, this version of WannaCry has mostly been taken care of at this point, but there's always going to be another big exploit that will come out of nowhere. So, please keep your computers up-to-date, keep your phones, tablets, toasters, whatever the case is, keep it up-to-date.

**Conclusion**

Anyway, let me know what you guys think about WannaCry and all of this craziness in the comments below, and I will catch you in the next one.

WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: en- Hey, guys, this is Austin,and this is something thatyou never want to see.So, you've probably heard of Ransomware.It is absolutely everywhere right now,and one of the biggest attackswas actually on ahospital system in the UK,where hundreds of computerswere not only madebasically useless, but more importantly,there were tons of documentson patients' information,test results, and they'reall essentially lost.This is not an isolated incident.It is happening worldwide,and not only is it affectingnormal people's computers,but it's also attacking thingslike banks and gas stations.Pretty much anything thatit can get its hands on.But what is Ransomware?So this actually isn't a new thing.Viruses, of course, have been aroundfor pretty much as longas computers have been,but Ransomware is a slightlydifferent take on it.Generally, malware isn't this malicious.So sure, if you get a virus,you might have pop-ups,or your computer mightbe a part of a botnet,but what Ransomware doesis it literally holds yourfiles ransom until you pay,and even if you pay,there's no guaranteethat you'll actually getany of your information back.Once infected, theRansomware will start lookingthrough all of your files,so it will find things likepictures, video, music,documents, pretty much anythingit can get its hands onand start encrypting it.And once these files are encrypted,and it doesn't take long,they are basically totally useless to youunless you have the key, whichthey just so happen to have,and will offer to unlock foryou for a very reasonable fee.Generally speaking, once you have actuallyhad your files encrypted,there's really nothingyou can do about it.Ransomware like this has beenaround for a few years now,but what's differentis that there's a new,much more dangerous versionof it around: WannaCry.Originally, this was anexploit found by the NSAcalled Eternal Blue,where they presumably used itfor super-secret spy stuff.However, one of theirservers was actually leakedand lots of their toolswere available publicly,including this one,where bad things started happening.Eternal Blue is an exploitin Windows networkingthat is especially dangerousbecause you don't need tobe doing anything wrongto be affected.So you take that and youcombine it with Ransomwareand you have a very dangerous combination.The good news is thatMicrosoft has already releaseda patch to deal with this exploit,but to show you how big of a deal this is,they even released anemergency patch for Windows XP,which came out in 2001.If your computer is fully up-to-date,you are safe from WannaCry,but of course, there are lots, and lots,and lots of computers thatare not fully up-to-date.Some countries havehuge percentages of PCsthat are running pirated Windowsthat might not be getting updates.There are plenty of companiesthat can't just immediatelyupdate 300,000 PCswith a new patch,and of course, some peoplejust don't get aroundto updating their computer very often.To demonstrate what happensif you are infected, however,we're going to purposely putWannaCry on this computer.Now, the main thing Iwanna see is, first of all,can you do anything about it.Spoiler alert: No.But also, I just wannasee what the process isif you actually are infected.So, I have a few files onthis computer right now.So, for example, I havea WordPad document.I have an image.But keep in mind, WannaCry'llgo after pretty much anythingthat is on your PC.So you can imagine, if thiswas my personal computerwith all of my documents,all my everything,it will pretty much attackwhatever it can get its hands on.So, what I'm going to be doingis actually manually triggering WannaCry.Generally, if this was youand you were infected in the wild,you would really have to do anything.It would just show up on your computer,attack all your files,and you wouldn't evenknow anything was going onin the background.But, let's find out what happenswhen you are attacked by WannaCry.Alright, let's give this a try.Oh, wow, yep.That's doing stuff.That's immediately doing stuff.So you see Task Manager eating up CPU,stuff is all over the desktop.I see the original filesbut also see the encrypted versions.So if this happens to you,you would immediatelyturn your computer off.But you can see it'swriting a ton of stuffto the disk right now.Eating up a fair bitof CPU, and of course,your desktop is justlittered with all the crap.Oh! (laughing incredulously)It did it.Alright, what does this say?If you need your files,you have to run the decrypt software.Run and follow the instructions.(laughing)Hmm, do you wanna do it?Well, yes, yes we do.Let's see what happens.Oh, there we go.What happened to my computer?Your important files are encrypted.Many of your documents, photos, videos,and databases are no longer accessiblebecause they have been encrypted.(laughs) I love it.Can I recover my files?Sure, we guarantee that you will recoverall your files safely and easily,but you do not have enough time.So, if I send them $300 worth of bitcoin,it will call back to homeand say hey, you did it.We'll decrypt all your filesand it's all totally fine.Except who knows if theyactually wanna do that.That was quick.Now of course, thereweren't a ton of fileson this computer, but you can see,I'm gonna try to open upmaybe like a file or anything.It just brings it...It's like a .WinCry file?Okay, so I'm gonna try to open it up.Yeah, it's all complete garbage.So, it's encrypted.There's no way I'm doinganything with that.Thankfully, this version of WannaCryhas mostly been takencare of at this point,but there's always goingto be another big exploitthat will come out of nowhere.So, please keep your computers up-to-date,keep your phones, tablets, toasters,whatever the case is, keep it up-to-date.Anyway, let me know what youguys think about WannaCryand all of this crazinessin the comments below,and I will catch you in the next one.