Computer users face hard choice: pay ransom or lose files

It’s a chilling moment: A message appears on a computer screen, saying the files are encrypted and the only way to access them is by paying a ransom.

It happened at Jeff Salter’s home health care business last December. The network of nearly 30 computers at Caring Senior Service was infected with ransomware, malicious software that hackers use to try to extort money from people and businesses by preventing them from opening or using documents, pictures, spreadsheets and other files. If computer users don’t pay, there’s no way they can access their files.

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