Microsoft todayannouncedthat it has removed ransomware from 24,000 Windows machines this yearwith the Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool (MSRT), a virus removal tool built into the Windows operating system since XP. Microsoft has specifically focused on four distinct variants of ransomware – Crowti, Critroni, Teerac, and Tescrypt – but plans to extend the tool's reach in the coming months.
In contrast to Windows Defender, MSRT does not offer real-time defenses against malware. Microsoft instead sends out signatures of new malware infections every months, and MSRT compares the signatures against files on the host computer and removes any matches. Microsoft has added 29 signatures to MSRT this year. Because of ransomware's impact on Windows users over the past year, Microsoft has spent asignificant amount of resourcestrying to go...