My kid's tablet got hit with a crypto locker last Tuesday

It started with a weird pop-up game ad she clicked while I was fixing a sink. By the time I looked over, the screen was locked with a ransom note demanding $500 in Bitcoin. I immediately unplugged the device from the wifi and did a factory reset using the hardware buttons, which wiped everything but got it working. Lost all her photos, but at least it's clean now. What's the best way to lock down a kid's tablet so this doesn't happen again?

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3 Comments

blair_allen6mo ago

Turned off in-app purchases and sideloading on my niece's tablet first thing. Set up a separate kid profile that only lets her use the apps I pre-approve, so she can't even get to a web browser. I also put a strong ad blocker on the main profile I use for setup. It feels a bit locked down, but way better than dealing with another crypto locker mess.

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the_uma5mo ago

Smart move locking it down like that.

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calebw506mo ago

You mentioned a crypto locker mess before. I mean, what actually happened there? Did she just click a bad link or did it come through an ad? Idk, maybe it's just me but I'm always worried about the stuff that slips through even with good blockers.

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