Ransomware: Prevent your computer from being infected

May 05, 2019 / CBS News

The cities of Newark, Atlanta, and Sarasota have been hit. So have Cleveland's airport and San Francisco's transit authority. When the cyberattack targeted Leeds, Alabama, its mayor had no access to email, personnel files, or financial systems. This week on "60 Minutes," correspondent Scott Pelley reports on the growing cyber threat called ransomware, a type of malware that locks up a victim's files and denies access to a computer system until money is paid with a digital currency that is hard to trace. While Pelley's report focuses on the effects of ransomware, the experts he spoke with said most attacks can be prevented. The FBI's Mike Christman recently ran the bureau's cybercrime unit. He gave Pelley tips on preventing a ransomware attack: Use two-factor authentication. Two-factor, or dual-factor authentication adds a layer of security to online accounts by requiring two ways of proving your identity. One common form of two-factor authentication is...