Ransomware

[Skeithex]

Cheaper to buy a external hard drive to back up your data than to buy high valued gift cards. Some people just take too many risks.

[froggyboy604]

Unfortunately, sometimes ransomware may infect external hard drives which are plugged into the computer. External hard drive may also break while copying files to a new hard drive if the external hard drive is in poor condition.

Rasomware makers may also threaten to release personal files like private photo and videos which they stole off their computer if victims don't pay the ransom.

[Skeithex]

never heard of anyone having an infected external drive, its why you should never leave it plugged into the PC at all times.

[froggyboy604]

never heard of anyone having an infected external drive, its why you should never leave it plugged into the PC at all times.

I think it is less common for ransomware to infect external drives these days because more people use laptops and tablets as their main PC. Mobile computers like laptops and tablets are less likely to be plugged into a USB drive all the time because they are not always in one place, and laptops have fewer USB ports.

But, desktop pc users are more likely to have their usb storage drives plugged in all the time because they always need to use the drive for backing up files, and copying and opening files and programs on the drive..

[Skeithex]

The lack of USBs is rather annoying, specially when your PC lacks a ethernet cable port and you have to use a USB to Ethernet port connection to use a hard wire connection. That and ransomware just so many annoying things in today's world.

[froggyboy604]

I agree the lack of USB ports is annoying. I wish more PCs come with Ethernet ports. There does not seem to be a good fix to prevent ransomware because they seem to still be very common where you see stories about ransomware breaking computers at big companies.

[Skeithex]

I've also experienced ransomware that seems to shut down USB ports as well, so it doesn't help things at all.