You may be going happily along checking out the latest news and views, when in the blink of an eye, there is a shrill voice coming from your computer telling you to follow exactly the instructions on your screen. The voice keeps repeating and repeating the message, while your computer is frozen up, and the instructions on the screen are talking money and calling their 800 number. But I clicked on a url that I have been to many times before???? Perhaps that is the point????

The very first thing I did, once my hands stopped shaking, was to stop everything and call the Computer Specialists - thank goodness for my contract with them, right!? Wrong!! In order to get rid of this kind of massive invasion of your computer and possibly your private information, is to give over access to your computer while a special/expensive program, for this type of event is downloaded. Just let the experts do their thing, unless you really are an expert in this new digital malevolence.

After your computer is pronounced alive and well, there remains the long process of recovery and recuperation. Your experts still have a big job of reconfiguring your computer. For me, this was a lengthy process of several hours over 3 days. Now, I'm in the process of working, as usual, with my computer and discovering any glitches that may remain.

So the key is don't touch your computer until help arrives, DON'T PANIC, call for help ASAP, part with numerous $$, get the recovery process underway, work with your computer to find and repair any remaining glitches.

Well, this has been quite the adventure since Sunday evening.Now, I must say that I'm a bit paranoid, as the url, that led to all this trial and tribulation, was one I have visited a number of times regarding the government admitting that Lyme is a bioweapon. I do hope this fun and games is not visited upon you, if you do get into trouble - there is life after ransomware, and good luck!

Lymerick