Here we can see the “Bitdefender ransomware vaccine”
Bitdefender distributes ‘vaccine’ to combat the growing ransomware threat.
Romanian security software company Bitdefender has released a replacement free tool to stop your computer from being infected by ransomware.
The Bitdefender Antiransomware vaccine defends against the CTB-Locker, Locky, and TeslaCrypt versions of crypto-ransomware, by making your system appear as if it’s already been infected by malware within the past.
Various strains of ransomware, like versions of Locky and TeslaCrypt, often use a system where it’ll detect if a computer has been infected by the ransomware within the past and had its files encrypted. However, Bitdefender’s new software claims that it can fake these checks, so if your computer ever encounters ransomware, the virus will skip it.
“The new tool is an outgrowth of the Cryptowall vaccine program, in a way,” said Bitdefender chief security strategist Catalin Cosoi. “We had been watching ways to stop this ransomware from encrypting files even on computers that weren’t protected by Bitdefender antivirus and that we realized we could extend the thought .”
The old Cryptowall vaccine program worked very similarly, but this might eventually be rendered useless and in need of an upgrade to stay up with how the ransomware itself is mutating and becoming more sophisticated.
Bitdefender’s newest tool covers even more versions of ransomware than before, but it’s not an absolute remedy or outright prevention tool, either. Ransomware has been twisting into new shapes recently, including a strain that targets WordPress sites instead of actual computers. This suggests this new anti-ransomware vaccine shouldn’t be considered a long-term solution as more advanced threats may emerge sooner instead of later.
Bitdefender isn’t alone in its efforts to make ransomware vaccines. Sean Williams, a developer, is within the midst of making his software called Cryptostalker to stop ransomware infecting Linux systems, while researcher Sylvain Sarméjeanne is functioning on a tool that combats Locky.
User Questions:
- Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition and Combination Crypto-Ransomware Vaccine
I’m using Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition. Is it necessary or recommended to use additional this tool from Bitdefender
- Bitdefender’s Position on Ransomware Attacks and Decryptors
- Ransomware Remediation: Recover encrypted ransomware files with Bitdefender
- Ransomware Protection (& etc.)
does the BitDefender Anti-virus Free edition include the ransomware protection that’s also found in BitDefender Anti-Ransomware Free?
- Combination Crypto-Ransomware Vaccine Released
Bitdefender anti-malware researchers have released a replacement vaccine tool that may protect against known and possible future versions of the CTB-Locker, Locky, and TeslaCrypt crypto ransomware families by exploiting flaws in their spreading methods.
“The new tool is an outgrowth of the Cryptowall vaccine program, in a way.” Chief Security Strategist Catalin Cosoi explained. “We had been watching ways to stop this ransomware from encrypting files even on computers that weren’t protected by Bitdefender antivirus and that we realized we could extend the thought .”
