Your files are already encrypted, so eliminating the perpetrator does you no good, and can even interfere with your ability to pay the ransom, should you opt to do so. When ransomware is involved, though, it’s a different story. It’s not great to have a virus or Trojan infest your PC, wreak havoc for a few days, and then get eliminated by an antivirus update, but it’s survivable.

Your files are encrypted, and the ransomware squad has won. Even if the antivirus gets an update a mere hour later, it’s too late.

But if ransomware evades the protective efforts of your antivirus, you’re sunk. An actual virus that flies under the radar could infect many files on your system, files that get disinfected once your antivirus learns to handle this new threat. It may not take any action before an antivirus update wipes it out. If a bot slips past the defenses erected by your antivirus utility, it will sit awaiting instructions from its command-and-control server. Since 1982, PCMag has tested and rated thousands of products to help you make better buying decisions. ( Read our editorial mission (Opens in a new window) & see how we test everything we review (Opens in a new window).)

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