A nasty strain of Windows malware is doing the rounds. It uses advanced encryption to lock up user files. while the malware is encrypting files in the background, the Victims receive little or no indication of problems.

CryptoLocker, recently found, locks up the computer and makes a demand of $300 for the decryption key. Users are faced with lossing their data unless they pay up.

There is not fix for this malware at this writing.

Payment is demanded in the form of anonymous prepaid cash services such as MoneyPak, Ukash, cashU or through the Bitcoin digital currency.

According to Sophos, "....there's no backdoor or shortcut: what the public key has scrambled, only the private key can unscramble."