Ransomware
Symantec has published report/whitepaper “Ransomware: A Growing Menace“.
This malware is highly profitable, with as many as 2.9 percent of compromised users paying out. An investigation into one of the smaller players in this scam identified 68,000 compromised computers in just one month, which could have resulted in victims being defrauded of up to $400,000 USD.
The message states that in order to unlock the computer, “a fine” must be paid using one of several prepaid electronic money schemes. The fines can range from €50 to €100 in Europe, and up to $200 in the US. (from blog)
Ransomware links
- What is ransomware?, by Microsoft
- Ransomware, at Wikipedia
- Trojan.Ransomlock, by Symantec (Summary, Details, Removal).
- Remove threats, by F-Secure
- Skype Worm Spreads Ransomware, Botnet Links
Top 5
Ransomware has been listed as one of the top 5 threats, see Top 5 Security Predictions for 2013 from Symantec:
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Cyber conflict becomes the norm
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Ransomware is the new scareware
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Madware adds to the insanity
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Monetization of social networks introduces new dangers
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As users shift to mobile and cloud, so will attackers