WARNING VIRUS CRYPTOLOCKER!! I LOS ALL MY SONAR PROJECTS

Always have a backup drive with a current backup on it but unplugged when not in use today.

bitman
Always have a backup drive with a current backup on it but unplugged when not in use today.

I don't know how to help the situation now that you're stuck with this virus. Like bitman says, I keep several different back ups on external drives (alternating back ups on rotations). If I had that situation occur, I would likely just reformat or even replace the hard disk and restore from a back up.

The situation described is one more affirmation that back up drives are simply good practice to avoid heartache.

1. Always have one or more backups. I use an automatic backup to FTP using FreeFileSync, as I described in this topic.
2. Always have a good antivirus active. I use Bitdefender, which has been extremely accurate, which has already detected and prevented various attacks.

 

stickman393
FreeFileSync ++
 
Alternating between two 1TB USB Drives, one of which travels with me to my day job
 

Yep, I also keep a back up rotation away from the house.

I am truly sorry for what you're experiencing, what a nightmare, but thanks for sharing.  I for one am heading out in the morning to grab another external HD as a backup.

jpetersen
Backups only save projects.
 
The time-consuming part is re-installing and re-registering all software.
 
Making regular ISOs after every install is also required.
 
If you pay, you finance the attack on the next victims.

i think when most people (at least i do) say 'back up' they mean making a disk image, so there is no time lost reinstalling etc, 15/20 minutes and you are up and running as if nothing happened.

The Grim

jpetersen
Backups only save projects.
 
The time-consuming part is re-installing and re-registering all software.
 
Making regular ISOs after every install is also required.
 
If you pay, you finance the attack on the next victims.

i think when most people (at least i do) say 'back up' they mean making a disk image, so there is no time lost reinstalling etc, 15/20 minutes and you are up and running as if nothing happened.

 
Yes, worst case is you may need to re-authorize some stuff.

Hi:)
 
1. Daily Backup (Image) from C: (Win System), A: (My OneDrive Location), R: (My Record Partition)
2. Immediate Backup after Recording to an external USB Disc
3. Immediate Backup after Recording to --> A: --> OneDrive (Cloud)
4. Immediate Backup after Recording to a second internal disc, where the files from the last few years are saved.
5. Regularly Burning DVDs from the recordings
6. Regularly Burning a Blue Ray Disc, where the DVDs are on
 
1. Is made automatically
2. 3. 4. is done in seconds
Immediate means I don't know how often, 1 or 2 times an hour....
So not much work for having backups..
 
Bassman.
 
 

but it's not just virus, malware etc (i don't worry about them either, don't even run av's or anything, i believe mostly good computer habits is the main thing, only had one virus back in 1998, it's a non issue for me), you have hard drive failure etc, i would rather be back up and running in 15 minutes than still installing and setting up 2 weeks later
 
i don't have any problems either, but if and when the time comes that i do, i will be more than thankful for my backup images

chuckebaby
However there are ways to decrease your chances of an attack.
-Don't open attachments you are not sure about.
-Don't click on links sent you in emails (unless you know exactly who they are) Some links, using prefixes and familiar name beginnings. Example: FaceBooks com. Attackers are getting smarter by the minute.
-Don't ever download something you are not sure about.

this ^^^^
plus, use browser add-ins such as ad-block and no-script

I infected a machine with a variant of this the other day under Lab conditions (I work in Information Security). Unfortunately where Sonar defaults its files is normally where Crypto starts to encrypt the files.
 
Very sorry to hear of your woes and there has been some sound advice here, namely "Backup". Do a weekly or daily if you can and then keep that backup offline. Even better, do a backup of a backup also.
 
I *never" put USB drives into my machine without checking them out first - I have a "dirty" laptop that has multiple VMs to infect which I will try these things on first.

Here's an option that I think should work for you guys to be able to create automatic backups to attached drives (internal or external) or even another computer on your network if you have one, but will also protect those backups from being mowed down by a virus such as this (actually a malicious encryption program if you want to be literal).
 
In business we use Crashplan (Pro) for a number of clients for offsite backups.  Well, Crashplan also makes a personal version that is free if you are only using your own storage (i.e. not CP Cloud copies).  What's different about this from something like FreeFileSync or a Robocopy or something is that the local copy that is made is encrypted so that it is not readable outside of the Crashplan environment.  When you backup or restore, you use the Crashplan application to do it, which uses an ID/Password and the signature derived from the computer itself to encrypt the files.  From Windows Explorer, they are just a bunch of unreadable files - ironically, kind of like what you are trying to protect them from! but YOU are controlling the process instead of some criminal.
 
Here's some info about the Archives and why: Explanation
Here's where you can get the free copy for download: Download
 
I have been slack here at the house for some time and this kicked me into gear to do this for myself as well - I harp on it many times a week to people at the office and I'd be pretty sad if I lost all my work.  Drive space is cheap.  The program is free.  What's the downside?
 
This is a legitimate backup company, not some Shareware/Freeware thing.  Check it out.  Interested in your feedback if you have any.

Here's an option that I think should work for you guys to be able to create automatic backups to attached drives (internal or external) or even another computer on your network if you have one, but will also protect those backups from being mowed down by a virus such as this (actually a malicious encryption program if you want to be literal).
 
In business we use Crashplan (Pro) for a number of clients for offsite backups.  Well, Crashplan also makes a personal version that is free if you are only using your own storage (i.e. not CP Cloud copies).  What's different about this from something like FreeFileSync or a Robocopy or something is that the local copy that is made is encrypted so that it is not readable outside of the Crashplan environment.  When you backup or restore, you use the Crashplan application to do it, which uses an ID/Password and the signature derived from the computer itself to encrypt the files.  From Windows Explorer, they are just a bunch of unreadable files - ironically, kind of like what you are trying to protect them from! but YOU are controlling the process instead of some criminal.
 
I have been slack here at the house for some time and this kicked me into gear to do this for myself as well - I harp on it many times a week to people at the office and I'd be pretty sad if I lost all my work.  Drive space is cheap.  The program is free.  What's the downside?
 
This is a legitimate backup company, not some Shareware/Freeware thing.  Check it out.  Interested in your feedback if you have any.

Blades I restored your first post. Let me know which ones you would like me to restore. Sorry you were blocked by the software.