http://woodtv.com/2015/01/19/ransomware-shuts-down-am-radio-station/PLAINWELL, Mich. (WOOD) — A small-town AM radio station is back on the air after online criminals held the owner’s computer for ransom.
WAKV, which serves Allegan and Kalamazoo counties, is run out of the basement of owner Jim Higgs’ 144-year-old home in Plainwell.
“Our format is basically old, old music for old people,” Higgs said.
On Jan. 9, crooks used software called “ransomware” to remotely shut down the computers Higgs uses to get his station on the air. His files were encrypted so he couldn’t get to them.
“Our entire music library, the audio files, all of our jingles, all of our commercials, all of our announcer voice tracks — everything locked,” Higgs listed. “There was an icon on my screen and it said that, ‘We have locked up your files and if you want them unlocked then you will have to pay us $500.'”
WAKV was off the air for more than a day before Higgs found a way to get around the problems using an old computer that had his music on it. He has spent hours retrieving his billing and tracking information, with an unknown number of hours of work still ahead.
“People have said this for years: They told me this for years, back things up, back things up. Well, this is why,” Higgs said.
Higgs says he doesn’t remember clicking on anything suspicious that would have infected his computer.
“I guess I would like to see them in jail, but I don’t think that is going to happen,” he said of the digital crooks.
To protect yourself from ransomware and other malware, avoid clicking on pop-up ads or windows, emails from senders you don’t know, and shady websites. Keep your firewall turned on and run reputable antivirus programs regularly.
Topic: WAKV knocked off air by computer hackers. (Read 1008 times)