Yearly Family Incident Response Reminder

This is one of my favorite posts from the Internet Storm Center. I didn't see them post it, or something like it, this year. As family and friends gather during the holidays, you will constantly get asked/cajoled/tricked/bribed/blackmailed(?) into working on their computers because, as incident responders, we are the go-to people. Education goes a long way. But, when you have to get down to it, and work on the machines, you need the tools to get the job done.

I've found the tools in the post useful, I've added others, and I've adapted as the malware has evolved. The best-case is when the problem is not too bad, and you can eradicate, recover and move on; usually with stern warnings and helpful words of encouragement. Also, it helps to improve the security posture of the machine you are working on. Worst-case, you're in for a long day/night of work to get the machine back to a usable state.

Here's hoping you have a Happy Thanksgiving (if you celebrate) and that you get a few minutes to relax.