Some Mac users are getting hit with ransomware -- here's what to do
Several Mac users are complaining about getting locked out of their computers for a bitcoin ransom.
MacRumors first reported the trend, apparently by mysterious hackers. Here's what's going on, according to Apple. Find My iPhone allows you to remotely lock one of your devices.
These hackers have obtained access to a bunch of iCloud usernames and passwords, and are using them to remotely lock people's computers. The hackers are demanding, in chatspeak, a $50 bitcoin ransom in exchange for unlocking the devices.
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If this happens to you, you'll have to bring your computer into an Apple Store and verify your identity to regain access to it. Otherwise, the only ways to get back control of your machine is to perform a hard reset (which would mean losing all the data) or pay the hackers and pray.
But the fact that these lock-outs are occurring at all points to a broader problem -- that hackers were able to gain access to a number of people's usernames and passwords, whether through phishing scams, fake virus alerts, or people using weak passwords. This ransomware underscores the importance of creating a secure, unique password that's difficult to hack or guess. Here's some good advice on that.
If you haven't been hacked yet, you may want to turn off Find My Mac for your Mac computers. And be sure to enable two-factor authentication on your Apple account.
Topics Cybersecurity MacBook
Monica wrote for Mashable's Tech section with a focus on retail, internet of things, and the intersections of technology and social justice. She holds a degree in creative writing from Brown University, and has previously written for Dow Jones Media, the New York Post, Yahoo Finance, and others. In her free time, she can be found attempting to cook Asian food, buying board games, and looking for new hobbies.
