Tag Archives: Ryan Vallee

AVG offers free ransomware decryptor tools for businesses

AVG just released six new ransomware decryption tools for our channel partners and their clients.  The free tools decrypt the recent ransomware strains Apocalypse, BadBlock, Crypt888, Legion, SZFlocker and TeslaCrypt.

While our AVG Business products help detect and block against all known ransomware strains –  including this recent six – our AVG partners now have helpful tools if a new client, or even a prospect, has a situation where files are already infected by ransomware.

With our new decryption tools, you should be able to recover your clients’ files and data without paying the ransom.

Using the AVG ransomware decryption tools

To use our AVG decryptor tools for the six recent ransomware strains, follow our simple five step process to unlock the encrypted files:

  • Run a full system scan on the infected PC and quarantine all the infected files.
  • Identify which infection strain encrypted the files. See the descriptions of each strain below. If the ransomware infection matches the strain details, download the appropriate tool and launch it.
  • The tool opens a wizard, which breaks the decryption process into several easy steps.
  • Follow the steps and you should again be able to reclaim your files in most cases.
  • After decryption, be sure to properly back up restored files.

The six ransomware strains and AVG decryptor tools include:

  • Crypt888
    • Description: Crypt888 (aka Mircop) creates encrypted files with the prepended name “Lock.” It also changes your desktop’s wallpaper to a message on a black background that begins with, “You’ve stolen 48.48BTC from the wrong people, please be so kind to return them and we will return your files.”
    • Unfortunately, Crypt888 is a badly written piece of code, which means some of the encrypted files or folders will stay that way, even if you pay the fine, as the cybercriminals’ “official decryptor” may not work.
    • Download the AVG decryptor tool:
    • http://files-download.avg.com/util/avgrem/avg_decryptor_Crypt888.exe

 

At AVG, we take ransomware threats very seriously. We encourage our partners to continue being proactive by using multilayered protection, such as AVG Business solutions, which detect and block ransomware. You can find additional examples of the six ransomware strains and detailed descriptions here.

New 2016 AntiVirus and Remote Control Options Available for AVG Managed Workplace

We have seen an incredible excitement in the MSP market surrounding our release of Managed Workplace 10. This month, we have continued this momentum with new security and key enhancements.

Managed Workplace 10 now includes integrated advanced security features from our award-winning AntiVirus 2016 engine, in addition to expanded remote control functions, alerting and customized reporting enhancements.

This is all part of our Managed Workplace Service Pack 1 release, available now.

A few highlights include:

  • Advanced AVG AntiVirus 2016 Engine
    • Advanced heuristics: Through a combination of Artificial Intelligence and advanced algorithms, stops emerging and known threats from ransomware, malware, viruses, spyware, worms, rootkits, and Trojans
    • Cloud-based outbreak detection technology: Helps identify even the newest malware variants in real-time
    • Advanced scanning engine: Scans your systems without impacting the day with boot-time scanning, scheduled and on-demand scans
    • Online shield: Uses cloud-based detection to identify dangerous downloads fast
    • LinkScanner: Assesses web pages in real-time for safe surfing, searching and downloads
    • Identity protection: Shields passwords and credit card numbers from hackers and scammers
    • Email protection: Protects confidential data from latest spam and phishing attacks
    • Firewall protection: Strengthens your perimeter of defense, stops the spread of viruses
  • Enhancements to Premium Remote Control
    • Ad hoc and on-demand sessions: Offers remote support to anyone on the Internet without the need to have Managed Workplace deployed.
    • End-user consent: Respects the privacy of your customers by requesting access to initiate remote control to their devices.

AVG partners are already taking advantage of Service Pack 1.  An AVG channel partner in Ontario, Canada shared his feedback:

  • “Managed Workplace’s integrated AV will allow us to manage threat policies and customize update and scanning schedules while centralizing threat detection into one platform.”
  • “The Enhanced Remote Control feature is a welcome addition to the already fantastic Premium Remote Control client. The ability to prompt users for remote control authorization and provide remote assistance to any user via the on demand feature means we no longer need to purchase and maintain a separate remote control solution for our clients.”

Put the new features to the test today. If you’re new with Managed Workplace, join our Daily Demo by clicking here. As always, please continue to share your feedback.

MSPs Share Positive Feedback on AVG Managed Workplace

Monitoring and managing your customers can be challenging as demands increase and environments become more complex. Your tools must present fast and complete information– reducing complexity, not adding to it.

In April, we introduced AVG Managed Workplace 10 – a simplified approach to RMM that enables MSPs to deliver managed services and advanced security in a simplified, scalable and applied way that also meets their own business goals.

Feedback from our AVG partners indicates we’re on the right track – take a look:

“We have used Managed Workplace since 2006; it is our eyes and ears to everything. We looked at Kaseya, LabTech, Microsoft Systems Center – but AVG had the full featured RMM solution and with Managed Workplace 10, keeps improving.” 

“Managed Workplace 10 is helping us reduce our onboarding time. The change to service plans was a big step forward in terms of architecting a managed service offering. We have gained immediate time savings and it’s easier to roll this out for our technicians.”

“The AVG Managed Workplace service templates are a stroke of genius. We literally onboarded a new customer on the first day of the product’s release and applied a monitoring, antivirus and proactive plan for a new customer within 10 minutes.  We removed about five days of technician time thanks to the solution.”

“We can see that AVG Managed Workplace represents a significant improvement. We like the ability to apply a service plan to a site and like the fact that these are customizable.  We also see the ease of use in setting up services and linking these to the service plans and speeding onboarding.” 

“Using AVG Managed Workplace 10, onboarding is a breeze. There are multiple things you need to do when onboarding customers and setting up a site but with AVG Managed Workplace’s service plan model, all the alerting is pre-configured and ready to go. You don’t have to go in and customize each individual client based on the service plan they are part of and you can see quickly how the customer is being supported and the specific environment.”

“During the beta process, AVG really encouraged us to put Managed Workplace through its paces. They gave us a checklist of items to try and it enabled us to experiment with everything – it was a fantastic approach. We upgraded all customers without a hitch.”

We have used different RMM tools in the past but they either had terrible support or too much required maintenance.  AVG has a good balance of necessary information, self-management, and of course, price point. With the new Managed Workplace 10, we were able to easily transition our clients into standardized Service Plans.  It was easy to reassign sites into their proper service plans.  Configuration changes can now be adjusted very easily and only one time!”

 

Put Managed Workplace to the test today for your business. Join our Daily Demo and experience the simplicity by clicking here.