Do you mean one has to be a computer science graduate to use a computer? And I doubt even CS graduates can always distinguish between real software and fake one with malware inside.
What I meant is that ransomware predominantly spreads by tricking the user into running malicious code, as opposed to tricking the OS. There's not a whole lot the OS can do if the user is determined to open e.g. "kittenpic.jpg.exe" or "invoice.doc.exe".
That is because user has a previous experience of double clicking files to run or view them and nothing bad happened.
> There's not a whole lot the OS can do if the user is determined to open e.g. "kittenpic.jpg.exe" or "invoice.doc.exe".
I think there are many options:
1) do not download executable files or make them non-executable after download
2) do not run downloaded executable files
3) do not run executable files without valid signature from OS developers
4) run executable files inside a sandbox
For example, iOS uses approaches 1, 3 and 4, and Android uses 4. Only desktop operating systems (including some Linux distrbutions) allow to trick user into running a malware with full access to user's files by clicking a link and pressing Ok twice. That is why I consider this is OS fault, not user's.
In many environments users are not supposed to download and run executable files. For example, in a workplace an employee is supposed to use only software approved by the company. And still no operating system provides an easy way to enforce it.
Imagine if pressing a wrong button on a washing machine would cause installing malware. Would you like to buy such device?
In many environments users are not supposed to download and run executable files. For example, in a workplace an employee is supposed to use only software approved by the company. And still no operating system provides an easy way to enforce it.
Windows domains can do this with Group Policies, with the first large ransomware waves companies actually started using that feature ;)
Other than that, Windows shows a prompt asking for confirmation when running a downloaded executable, but it doesn't stick to files from ZIP files, doesn't apply to mail attachments (although I'd expect mail software to warn itself) and stuff like that.
Windows has all of those implemented in the windows store world, yet everybody is yelling how anticompetitive Microsoft is for wanting people to switch to that model.
If we had Linux on the desktop, we'd have Linux ransomware.
I think the problem is in PC and OS design.