My wife's computer was hit by this virus so I had to become knowledgeable about it.<p>The files are not "corrupted" but rather encrypted. The virus makes an encrypted copy of important files then deletes the original. But on some versions of Windows it can't delete the file entirely and you can still right-click it and restore it to a previous version.<p>We also elected not to pay the ransom (which requires buying either $500 or $1000 in Bitcoin) but from what I've read, if you do pay they will honestly unlock your files for you. There is even a support site for help!<p>I recommend everyone google "cryptoprevent" and install that program since it locks down ask the known behavior of Cryptowall and keeps it from running on your machine. It is free to use.<p>However, the next version of this will probably be even worse...I mean hey, as long as you have no morals this is an unlimited supply of money.