Ransomware Protection - FAQs

What is Ransomware Protection?

Ransomware Protection is a feature available in the latest version of AVG Internet Security and AVG AntiVirus FREE that prevents your personal photos, documents, and files from being modified, deleted, or encrypted by ransomware attacks. This feature scans for and automatically secures folders that may contain personal data and allows you to specify additional folders you want to protect from untrusted applications. Additionally, you can specify which applications are allowed to modify the files in your folders and which applications are always blocked.

Ransomware Protection is a feature available in the latest version of AVG Internet Security that prevents your personal photos, documents, and files from being modified, deleted, or encrypted by ransomware attacks. This feature scans for and automatically secures folders that may contain personal data and allows you to specify additional folders you want to protect from untrusted applications. Additionally, you can specify which applications are allowed to modify the files in your folders and which applications are always blocked.

What is ransomware?

Ransomware is malicious software that can encrypt important files on your computer to make them inaccessible, then threatens to publish or delete them until a sum of money (ransom) is paid. Even after paying the ransom, there is no guarantee that you will be able to recover your files.

How do I get Ransomware Protection?

Ransomware Protection is enabled by default in the latest version of AVG Internet Security and AVG AntiVirus FREE. To access Ransomware Protection, click the Computer tile on the main application screen, then click Open above Ransomware Protection.

For detailed instructions to install the latest version of AVG Internet Security or AVG AntiVirus FREE, refer to the relevant article below:

• Installing AVG Internet Security
• Installing AVG AntiVirus FREE

Ransomware Protection is enabled by default in the latest version of AVG Internet Security. To access Ransomware Protection, click the Hacker attacks tile on the main application screen, then click Open above Ransomware protection.

For detailed instructions to install the latest version of AVG Internet Security, refer to the following article:

• Installing AVG Internet Security

How do I manage Ransomware Protection sensitivity?

To specify how Ransomware Protection responds when an application attempts to access files in your protected folders:

1. Open AVG AntiVirus and click the Computer tile.
2. Click Settings (the gear icon) in the top-right corner.
3. Select Basic protection ▸ Ransomware Protection in the left panel.
4. Select your preferred mode:
   • Smart Mode (default and recommended setting): Ransomware Protection refers to a list of commonly used and trusted applications to determine which applications can modify files in your protected folders. If any applications that are not on this list attempt to modify files in your protected folders, you are notified and asked for permission.
   • Strict Mode: You are notified and asked for permission each time an application attempts to modify files in your protected folders. Selecting this option may result in frequent and potentially annoying alerts.

Which folders does Ransomware Protection secure?

Ransomware Protection automatically scans for and secures folders that may contain personal data. To manually add an additional folder to your list of protected folders:

Ransomware Protection automatically protects your Documents and Pictures folders. To manually add an additional folder to your list of protected folders:

1. Open AVG AntiVirus and click the Computer tile.
2. Open AVG Internet Security and click the Hacker attacks tile.
3. Click Open above Ransomware protection.
4. Click Protect new folder to protect an additional folder.
5. Select the folder location and click OKOpen.
6. Enter your password that you use when you start your Mac, then click OK.

The selected folder appears in your protected folders list. To remove a folder from the list, hover your cursor over the relevant folder's panel and click the X icon. Click Stop protecting to confirm.

The selected folder appears in your protected folders list. To remove a folder from the list, hover your cursor over the relevant folder's panel and click the X icon. Enter your password that you use when you start your Mac, then click OK.

How can I change which file types are protected?

To specify which file types are protected:

1. Open AVG AntiVirus and click the Computer tile.
2. Open AVG Internet Security and click the Hacker attacks tile.
3. Click Open above Ransomware protection.
4. Click Settings (the gear icon) in the top-right corner.
5. Click Preferences (the gear icon) in the top-right corner.
6. Select Basic protection ▸ Ransomware Protection in the left panel.
7. In the File types section, tick the box next to the file types you want Ransomware Protection to protect. All options are selected by default.
8. In the Protected file types section, tick the box next to the file types you want Ransomware Protection to protect. If prompted, enter your password that you use when you start your Mac and click OK.

If you want to add other file types to the list of protected file types, click Add file type, enter the file type extension, then click Save. If prompted, enter your password that you use when you start your Mac.

What can I do if AVG Ransomware Protection shows too many notifications?

If you receive too many notifications from Ransomware Protection asking you to block or allow applications, ensure your Ransomware Protection sensitivity is set to Smart Mode. If you select Strict Mode, AVG notifies you every time any application attempts to modify files in your protected folders (excluding those you have already added to the Blocked & Allowed apps list).

How do I manage applications that are blocked or allowed by Ransomware Protection?

Ransomware Protection blocks malware and viruses from modifying files in your protected folders and allows trusted applications by default. When an untrusted application attempts to modify files in your protected folders, you receive a Ransomware Protection notification, asking you to block or allow the application. After selecting your preference, the application is added to the Blocked & Allowed apps screen. You can also manually add applications to the Blocked & Allowed apps screen to ensure they are always blocked or always allowed automatically by Ransomware Protection.

Ransomware Protection blocks malware and viruses from modifying files in your protected folders and allows trusted applications by default. When an untrusted application attempts to modify files in your protected folders, you receive a Ransomware Protection notification, asking you to allow the application. Allowed applications are then added to the Allowed apps list. You can also manually add applications to the allowed apps list to ensure they are always allowed automatically by Ransomware Protection.

To open the Blocked & Allowed apps screen:

1. Open AVG AntiVirus and go to Menu ▸ Settings.
2. Select General ▸ Blocked & Allowed apps in the left panel.

The Blocked & Allowed apps screen is now open and you can start managing your blocked and allowed applications.

To add an application to the Allowed apps list:

1. Open AVG Internet Security and click the Hacker attacks tile.
2. Click Open above Ransomware protection.
3. Click Preferences (the gear icon) in the top-right corner.
4. Click Allow an app, then select the application and click Open.
5. If prompted, enter your password that you use when you start your Mac and click OK.

The application is now added to the Allowed apps list.

For detailed instructions to use the Blocked & Allowed apps screen, refer to the following article:

• Using the Blocked & Allowed apps settings screen in AVG AntiVirus

Where can I find more information about using Ransomware Protection?

For more information about using Ransomware Protection, refer to the following article:

• Ransomware Protection - Getting Started
• Ransomware Protection - Getting Started