We've seen it in the movies: a family member is kidnapped and held for ransom by the bad guy. Now, a similar process is being used to demand money from PC users in real life.

	WEEKLY REPORTS Solutions, Prevention & Remedies Top 10 Threats

When a victim opens a specially crafted file in an infected E-mail message, the program encrypts files on his computer. These files remain impenetrable until the user applies decryption keys to free the kidnapped files.

Unfortunately, the correct codes are held by hackers until the user pays a certain amount of money.

This problem was recently re-discovered in Portland, Oregon when a woman's computer was hi-jacked, displaying pornographic pictures and a note that demanded $10.99 by way of Western Union in return for her stolen files. The extortion attempt included the threat to delete a file every half hour until the money was received.

These types of threats, dubbed "ransomware," still appear to be isolated, but if you become a victim, contact your local authorities immediately.

Information, Protection and Prevention -- More About Ransomware
• Wikipedia definition

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* Reading: Solutions, Prevention & Remedies
Additional summary information related to a specific type of solution or prevention that you should be considering. Depending upon the week, this section may have:
• Recent Windows security releases from Microsoft
• Recent updates to widely used anti-spyware programs
• Recent updates to widely used anti-virus programs
• Recent updates to other security programs & devices (ex: Firewalls, routers)
• Recent updates to various applications in wide use

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Read: Top Threats
These are viruses that are currently on the watch lists of major anti-virus software companies.

Name
What the threat is called. We use the name given each virus by Panda Software. Sometimes other anti-virus companies give the same threat a different name. Usually they use similar names.

Type
There are different characteristics associated with different types of threats.
• Virus - has the ability to replicate or infect computers or other programs
• Trojan Horse (or Trojan) - appear to be harmless programs when you get them. They unleash their payload when you double-click, open, or execute them.
• Phishing - a Web site or e-maill message posing as another company - usually one you know to fool you into giving the sender personal information.
• Worm - self replicates onto additional disks, computers or networks
• Spyware - installs on your system to collect information about your activity, preferences or interests
• Hoax - false messages sent by e-maill to mislead the recipient
• Backdoors - opens a security hole that allows outsiders to take control of your computer
• Dialer - uses your telephone to dial an outside number - sometimes a number that costs you money when dialed

Affects
Not all viruses affect all types of systems. Some, for example may affect only Windows 98 and 95, but not Windows XP or NT. Others affect all Windows systems, but not Macintosh. In this column, we show you the consumer systems that the threat is known to affect. We don't always include the servers that operate in your company's backroom.

Alert level
The level of awareness that anti-virus vendors suggest you need to have for each threat listed.
For each threat listed, we'll post a corresponding link here, so you can get more information to help you recognize, diagnose, prevent, and repair the problem.