Install antivirus

Make use of your antivirus software’s ransomware removal tool, which should scan for and wipe out any ransomware attempts found on your computer.

Most paid subscriptions use real-time protection to keep their clients. Even if ransomware gets past your antivirus, chances are good that within a short while an automatic antivirus update will clear the intruder from your system. Most antivirus companies offer trial versions free of charge to test before subscribing for a paid service, which should be enough if one needs to urgently remove a stray malware.

Ransomware known as WannaCry, Wanna, or Wcry went on a global cyber infection rampage on Friday, infecting at least 75,000 computers in at least 99 countries. The malware adopted to a multi-lingual platform has caused complete data paralysis at banks, hospitals and telecommunications service providers, most notably in the UK, Spain, and Germany.

The virus demands a ransom of $300 to $600 in bitcoin by May 15 to unlock access to data held hostage. The malware is widely believed to have been developed based on the National Security Agency’s zero-day exploit which was leaked last month by the Shadow Brokers hacker group.