Not Much We Can Do Except Fantasize

2½ years ago our PC was invaded by pop-up boxes that would not stop popping. The cyber-culprits demanded payment to fix the problem, but there was no assurance that they would do so, plus I didn't want to give the bad guys one cent for tribute.

I eradicated the pop-ups the hard way by erasing the internal drive, installing a clean copy of Windows XP, and restoring the backup files. Problem solved.

Ransomware screen (PC World)

However, the damage from my lost time was minuscule compared to those faced by businesses.

More small businesses are falling victim to “ransomware,” in which malicious code locks up computer files and cybercriminals demand a ransom to free them.

Crime pays:

About 30% of ransomware victims pay to regain their data, estimates Tom Kellermann, chief cybersecurity officer for Trend Micro Inc., an Irving, Texas, cybersecurity firm.

Preventive measures against ransomware are familiar: don't open e-mail attachments from unfamiliar sources, and back up the systems regularly.

It would be nice if Silicon Valley tech giants, the NSA, police, and military(!) would use all their advanced equipment and knowhow to strike back at these criminals. Zapping their equipment and emptying their bank accounts would be a good first step, and I wouldn't draw the line at using SEAL and SWAT teams to make the arrest. Well, I can fantasize...