April 29, 200619 yr Trojan Freezes Computer, Demands Ransom Malware threatens to delete files unless payment is sent via Western Union. Jeremy Kirk, IDG News Service Thursday, April 27, 2006 A new kind of malware circulating on the Internet freezes a computer and then asks for a ransom paid through the Western Union Holdings money transfer service. A sample of the Trojan horse virus was sent to Sophos, a security vendor, said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant. The malware, which Sophos named 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, Cluley said. The new Trojan falls into a class of viruses described as "ransomware." The schemes had been seen in Russia, but the first one appeared in English just last month. "It is a new kind of malware with a particularly nasty payload," Cluley said. It's unclear how the Trojan is being spread, although Sophos is investigating, Cluley said. Viruses can be spread in several ways, including through spam or a so-called drive-by download that exploits a browser vulnerability when a user visits a malicious Web site. PC Frozen, Files at Risk Once run, the Trojan freezes the computer, displaying a message saying files are being deleted every 30 minutes. It then gives instructions on how to send $10.99 via Western Union to free the computer. Hitting the control, alt, and delete keys will not affect the bug, the virus writer warns. Sophos provides further details at its Web site. The virus writer even offers tech support, Cluley said. If the method of unlocking the computer doesn't work after the money is sent, the virus writer promises to research the problem and includes an e-mail address. Last month, a Trojan emerged that encrypts a user's documents and then leaves a file demanding $300 in exchange for the password to access the information. Victims were instructed to send money to one of 99 accounts run by e-gold, a company that runs a money transfer site. The password, however, was contained on the infected computer. Sophos cracked it and publicly released it. First I thought it was a joke but apparently not... Figured I'd share.
April 29, 200619 yr Author Trojan Freezes Computer, Demands Ransom Malware threatens to delete files unless payment is sent via Western Union. Jeremy Kirk, IDG News Service Thursday, April 27, 2006 A new kind of malware circulating on the Internet freezes a computer and then asks for a ransom paid through the Western Union Holdings money transfer service. A sample of the Trojan horse virus was sent to Sophos, a security vendor, said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant. The malware, which Sophos named 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, Cluley said. The new Trojan falls into a class of viruses described as "ransomware." The schemes had been seen in Russia, but the first one appeared in English just last month. "It is a new kind of malware with a particularly nasty payload," Cluley said. It's unclear how the Trojan is being spread, although Sophos is investigating, Cluley said. Viruses can be spread in several ways, including through spam or a so-called drive-by download that exploits a browser vulnerability when a user visits a malicious Web site. PC Frozen, Files at Risk Once run, the Trojan freezes the computer, displaying a message saying files are being deleted every 30 minutes. It then gives instructions on how to send $10.99 via Western Union to free the computer. Hitting the control, alt, and delete keys will not affect the bug, the virus writer warns. Sophos provides further details at its Web site. The virus writer even offers tech support, Cluley said. If the method of unlocking the computer doesn't work after the money is sent, the virus writer promises to research the problem and includes an e-mail address. Last month, a Trojan emerged that encrypts a user's documents and then leaves a file demanding $300 in exchange for the password to access the information. Victims were instructed to send money to one of 99 accounts run by e-gold, a company that runs a money transfer site. The password, however, was contained on the infected computer. Sophos cracked it and publicly released it. First I thought it was a joke but apparently not... Figured I'd share.
April 29, 200619 yr silly hackers what will they think of next. i'm thinking if that happened to me i'd say good i was gonna build a new one anyways:p
April 29, 200619 yr silly hackers :thumbsup: what will they think of next. i'm thinking if that happened to me i'd say good i was gonna build a new one anyways:p
April 29, 200619 yr Not beer where this comes from. More like Potatoe Vodka and other clear alchohols. Beer is not the preferred drink. To weak.
April 29, 200619 yr Not beer where this comes from. More like Potatoe Vodka and other clear alchohols. Beer is not the preferred drink. To weak.
April 29, 200619 yr I wonder if you could just pull the plug on your internet and then shut your computer down. HMMM Guess i don't want to try it.
April 29, 200619 yr I wonder if you could just pull the plug on your internet and then shut your computer down. HMMM Guess i don't want to try it. :thumbsup:
April 29, 200619 yr wow thats crazy, theres no way I would pay someone money but im sure lots of people would.
April 29, 200619 yr wow thats crazy, theres no way I would pay someone money but im sure lots of people would.
April 29, 200619 yr Not beer where this comes from. More like Potatoe Vodka and other clear alchohols. Beer is not the preferred drink. To weak. do you mean Russians? I've read an article a month or so ago where journalist said that Russians started to drink 'lighter' alcohols like beer or vine (the last one is for snobs). IMHO beer is still the favorite beverage for most of the college students and I doubt 'ransomware' could be released by anyone else.
April 29, 200619 yr Not beer where this comes from. More like Potatoe Vodka and other clear alchohols. Beer is not the preferred drink. To weak. do you mean Russians? I've read an article a month or so ago where journalist said that Russians started to drink 'lighter' alcohols like beer or vine (the last one is for snobs). IMHO beer is still the favorite beverage for most of the college students and I doubt 'ransomware' could be released by anyone else.
April 29, 200619 yr Yes the Russians. We know the Pols are too smart for this type of behavior. Maybe Democracy means Drink Beer. Times are a changin'
April 29, 200619 yr Yes the Russians. We know the Pols are too smart for this type of behavior. Maybe Democracy means Drink Beer. :eek: Times are a changin'
April 29, 200619 yr Yes the Russians. We know the Pols are too smart for this type of behavior. No, let's face it- Poles are too stupid to create a virus like that... though one'd wish to be on the receiving end of that chain.... Maybe Democracy means Drink Beer. LOL, I still can't believe that Miller and Budweiser are selling some of their products under the name of 'beer' And times are changing, indeed. 15 years ago, in Poland, the most popular liquor was vodka. Now it's beer. Though the oldies still prefer vodka. It's the same story in Russia, now. Maybe it's because you can drink a beer or two and go to the office next day, after drinking a bottle of vodka (or two ) you can't... Once I drinked a lot at the bachelor's party and had to go to work next day. My boss knew I might be a bit drunk (I warned him) so he didn't say a word, though the smell must be horrible . I spent entire 3 hours at the office before I decided to come back home (it was pointless, though I didn't feel bad myself, I pitied my room-mate - a beautiful blonde). When I came back my wife said: "oh God, why are you still drunk? How did you manage to come back home?"
April 29, 200619 yr Yes the Russians. We know the Pols are too smart for this type of behavior. No, let's face it- Poles are too stupid to create a virus like that... though one'd wish to be on the receiving end of that chain.... Maybe Democracy means Drink Beer. :thumbsup: LOL, I still can't believe that Miller and Budweiser are selling some of their products under the name of 'beer' And times are changing, indeed. 15 years ago, in Poland, the most popular liquor was vodka. Now it's beer. Though the oldies still prefer vodka. It's the same story in Russia, now. Maybe it's because you can drink a beer or two and go to the office next day, after drinking a bottle of vodka (or two ) you can't... Once I drinked a lot at the bachelor's party and had to go to work next day. My boss knew I might be a bit drunk (I warned him) so he didn't say a word, though the smell must be horrible . I spent entire 3 hours at the office before I decided to come back home (it was pointless, though I didn't feel bad myself, I pitied my room-mate - a beautiful blonde). When I came back my wife said: "oh God, why are you still drunk? How did you manage to come back home?"
April 29, 200619 yr Heh, Russians consider beer a soft drink. My teacher said it used to be sold in vending machines like pop. I've been there and spent 3 weeks. I didn't see it in any vending machines though. I didn't get drunk, but I watched a 12 year old buy a beer for his dad at a soccer game and drink some of it himself. Baltika is one of the more popular beers in Russia and they have Baltika 1 through 9. Baltika 1 is a little alchohol, and Baltika 9 is half vodka.
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