You've heard of Spyware/malware/viruses/spam now there's RANSOMWARE

[W1nTry]

Look out for this ppl:

Trojan demands ransom with menaces

Send us money or your novel gets it


By Nick Farrell: Friday 28 April 2006, 07:13

A SPANKING new type of malware will freeze your computer until you pay a small ransom through the Western Union Holdings money transfer service.
According to the media friendly Sophos, the malware known as Troj/Ransom-A, is one of only a few viruses so far that have asked for a ransom in exchange for releasing control of a computer.

SpokesSophos Graham Cluley said the new Trojan falls into a class of viruses described as "ransomware."

Such cunning plans had been seen in Russia, but one appeared in English recently. Once the software is run, the Trojan freezes the computer and threatens to delete files every 30 minutes until $10.99 is sent to the writer via Western Union.

The virus writer promises that if his method to unlock the computer does not work he will research the problem. He includes an e-mail address so that you can get in touch.

[Gambitt]

Sounds like something that might have started out as a prank. I mean how hard is it gonna be to have the cops/feds contact WU and get the little bastard's information and then put a beating on him?

[W1nTry]

See Thread: "Free breast exam", with that level of gullible ppl in the world, can you see how this would work now?

[choxlate_saltfish]

my lord...what next.gameware. pass this level or your ps2 will blow up.

[W1nTry]

my lord...what next.gameware. pass this level or your ps2 will blow up.

Dude DON'T give them ideas.... (more likely mobile gaming if that were to happen, beat this game in 1 hr or you'll be locked out of ur cell 0_o)

[Jdcrys_Shinkuu]

There are ways to protect yourself against viruses / spyware / adware / malware.......


what about the Ransomware? or is it covered by one of the previous systems of defense?

[W1nTry]

Well JD, think of ransomware as spyware/malware with a much more devious purpose. As for protecting yourself, sure there are ways, but considering there are zero day attacks that take advantage of windows flaws and by merely visiting a website you're cookec, there are still ways to get into your machine even when you're really paranoid and have firewall/spywaretools/antivirus/etc. It's a scary world out there man.

[Jdcrys_Shinkuu]

One of my duties are to protection of the network where i work and i like finding out about the new stuff before we are hit so pm the details or send me a link on ne security threats i may encounter....

btw i dont use ie

firefox iymc...lol

[Falener]

thats just a form of hacking, use a program called hijackthis (yeah i know the name is not really appealing) it does a log of your computer and its activities which is then sent on a forum for inspection, you will get an email stateing what should and should not be there, really good for spyware and malware as well.

if this is true and does happens, you have a plug and the power to pull it out, no power to pc, internet comes off and no form of connection between computer and hacker. scan the computer and send it with another computer or devices that uses net.

I can suggest something better than firefox which is opera 9 beta, you can get it at this site because the free version kinda sux. trust me this browser works fast!

http://snapshot.opera.com/windows/o90w_8414.exe

[W1nTry]

update:

Ransomware problem is "insurmountable"

PC Plod says nothing I can do


By Tony Dennis: Tuesday 01 August 2006, 07:49

 ACCORDING TO PC security firm Kaspersky, incidences of 'ransomware' attacks could shortly become impossible to deal with. One Brit found that when her PC was attacked, the local police said they couldn't help because the crooks could be anywhere in the world.
Basically, ransomware is a type of virus that grabs copies of documents stored on a disk and then encrypts them.

To get the documents back requires an associated key. The ransomware's author then demands money for the key via an apparently legitimate operation.

Kaspersky reckons that the level of encryption is rising – making it far more difficult to crack. The necessary keys were formerly 330 characters long but now 660 character versions have started to appear.

"The most prominent of this sort of attack is called GPCode, and we are into about the 30th variant," claimed David Emm, a senior technology consultant with Kaspersky.

More on this story at the FT.