Ransomware is dangerous, pernicious and becoming widespread, but you can take steps to minimize the risk that your computer will be infected.

Update. Make sure your software, operating system and plug-ins like Java and Flash are kept up-to-date by turning on their automatic update feature.

Some hackers are exploiting vulnerabilities in those programs to install ransomware automatically when consumers visit hacked websites.

Back up your data. If your files are locked by ransomware, the only way to recover them without paying the ransom is typically from backup copies. If you aren't yet doing regular backups, you should start. If you already back up your computer, you may need to change how you're doing it.

Some ransomware can find and encrypt files on anything that looks to the computer like an attached drive, including external hard drives you may have connected, drives you may have on your local network or cloud services like Dropbox.

Experts advise you to use cloud backup services like Carbonite or an external hard drive that you disconnect after each backup. Ideally, they say, you should back up your data in multiple places or on to multiple drives.

Run anti-virus software. Assuming you keep it up-to-date and have it set to scan for viruses automatically, anti-virus software can usually detect and block known ransomware.

Unfortunately, such programs typically struggle to identify and protect your computer from new versions of ransomware, so they're not a perfect solution. Some anti-malware programs can act as a kind of backup, allowing you to undue changes ransomware and other malware have done to your computer.

Think before you click. Be skeptical of links or documents sent to you in email and be wary of clicking on them. Criminals have gotten good at creating messages that look like they come from legitimate sources.