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What to do when your laptop is held for ransom (The 3:59, Ep. 8)

In the latest 3:59 podcast, CNET's Roger Cheng and Ben Fox Rubin talk about ransomware, invasive ads and instant online credit.

Ben Fox Rubin Former senior reporter
Ben Fox Rubin was a senior reporter for CNET News in Manhattan, reporting on Amazon, e-commerce and mobile payments. He previously worked as a reporter for The Wall Street Journal and got his start at newspapers in New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts.
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Roger Cheng Former Executive Editor / Head of News
Roger Cheng (he/him/his) was the executive editor in charge of CNET News, managing everything from daily breaking news to in-depth investigative packages. Prior to this, he was on the telecommunications beat and wrote for Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal for nearly a decade and got his start writing and laying out pages at a local paper in Southern California. He's a devoted Trojan alum and thinks sleep is the perfect -- if unattainable -- hobby for a parent.
Expertise Mobile, 5G, Big Tech, Social Media Credentials
  • SABEW Best in Business 2011 Award for Breaking News Coverage, Eddie Award in 2020 for 5G coverage, runner-up National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Award for culture analysis.
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Ben Fox Rubin
Roger Cheng

Computer viruses are bad enough, but the new trend this year is something called ransomware.

Hackers sneak this kind of software onto victim's computers, then use it to scramble the files with an unbreakable code and refuse to release them until a ransom is paid. For this episode, we discuss what you should do if you're ever hit with a ransomware attack.

We also touch on the Federal Communications Commission's effort to stop invasive online advertising by your cable company. And we discuss instant online credit, which offers thousands of dollars in quick credit for a mattress or jewelry or clothes.

The 3:59 gives you bite-size news and analysis about the top stories of the day, brought to you by CNET Executive Editor Roger Cheng and CNET Senior Writer Ben Fox Rubin.

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