When ransomware chance upon , it ’s firmly not to panic . A ransomware attack may have your Mac to shut down and then restart into a ignition lock screen . A message appears , demanding ransom money to put up a six - digit unlock computer code , which ca n’t be bypassed . This can occur even with two - factor hallmark enabled .
Crackers appear to be making use of password from other sites that have had password breach in the past — and iCloud accountholders re - use those word with their iCloud account . With Find My Mac enable and your password , a criminal can lumber into iCloud.com and manipulation Find My Mac ( even without confirming with a second agent ) to put your Mac into Lock mode with a six - finger code they make . Lock mode restarts a Mac into Recovery and operate out a normal boot .
Paying the ransom is inadvisable , because not all extortionists honor the terms , and there ’s a workaround . I advocate the following :
Bring your Mac to anyApple authorized servicing center — Apple Stores and third parties — as they can unlock it from baffled manner if you supply substantiation of leverage .
Even before you take your Mac in , shift your parole for iCloud .
Enable two - factor authentication if you have n’t already . It does n’t help with this cracking , but will prevent any further approach to your story if someone obtained the password .
iOS is n’t susceptible to this with its Lost Mode in discover My iPhone / iPad , unless you have no passcode set . In that case , a crook can set a four - digit computer code and operate you out of your headphone or tab .
If this attack seems familiar , it ’s because it waspreviously used in 2014 .
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