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Sneaky Blackmailing Virus That Encrypts Data

Posted by timothy on from the ouch-and-double-ouch dept.

BaCa writes "Kaspersky Lab found a new variant of Gpcode which encrypts files with various extensions using an RSA encryption algorithm with a 1024-bit key. After Gpcode.ak encrypts files on the victim machine, it changes the extension of these files to ._CRYPT and places a text file named !_READ_ME_!.txt in the same folder. In the text file the criminal tells the victims that the file has been encrypted and offers to sell them a decryptor. Is this a look into the future where the majority of malware will function based on extortion?"

21 of 409 comments (clear)

  1. Is this the future? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Is this a look into the future where the majority of malware will function based on extortion?

    I don't know! Stop asking me those questions all the time. Is it obligatory to end every blurb with a question, or what?

    1. Re:Is this the future? by DriedClexler · · Score: 3, Funny

      Goddamnit, who keeps sending self-aware chatbots to access Slashdot?

      --
      Information theory is life. The rest is just the KL divergence.
  2. All your dataz by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Joe User: Someone set us up the encryption. We get no data. Readme file turn on.
    Jack Hacker: How are you gentlemen? All your data are belong to us.

  3. Re:This has been done before by Daimanta · · Score: 5, Funny

    MS-DOS 6.22

    --
    Knowledge is power. Knowledge shared is power lost.
  4. Re:This has been done before by ColdWetDog · · Score: 4, Funny

    Perhaps someone can remember what it was called.

    America On Line?

    --
    Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
  5. Gonna be ok by Joebert · · Score: 4, Funny

    I'm not going to worry about this.
    I'm sure the fine folks of our Government are watching everything that happens on my computer & will promptly decrypt my files for me using their built-in back doors.

    --
    Wanna fight ? Bend over, stick your head up your ass, and fight for air.
  6. I got infected by this virus by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    My computer was infected by this virus... luckily all my files were already encrypted so all it did was make plain-text versions of everything and leave me a file asking for a donation

  7. Re:But were they smart, or stupid? by Tenebrousedge · · Score: 3, Funny

    Then we should paste a caption on you that says "Backups: Your doin it wrong."

    --
    Those who advocate genocide deserve every protection afforded by law, and none afforded by common human decency.
  8. Re:But were they smart, or stupid? by Cajun+Hell · · Score: 5, Funny

    if this virus becomes really widespread, the malware author could create a rouge anti-virus program

    But a crimson anti-virus program can detect a rouge one.

    --
    "Believe me!" -- Donald Trump
  9. Re:But were they smart, or stupid? by secolactico · · Score: 4, Funny

    Or get GNU/Linux.

    He did say "good corporate citizen", so if you are not paying for it, you obviously have something to hide and should be reported.

    Damn commie scum.

    --
    No sig
  10. Re:But were they smart, or stupid? by lastchance_000 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Where'd you find that joke? Surely you can't makeup humor like that on your own.

  11. Re:But were they smart, or stupid? by Chaxid · · Score: 4, Funny

    And when the $1 ends up in a bank in Nigeria, then what? Oh please! We all know there aren't any REAL banks in Nigeria.
  12. Re:But were they smart, or stupid? by hey · · Score: 4, Funny

    They send the decrypt code with Western Union?
    As a telegram? Do they still exist?

  13. Re:Oh please! We all know there aren't any REAL ba by Chaxid · · Score: 3, Funny

    I'll append a sarcasm tag next time. By the way, that bit of info is insanely depressing, and kind of made me feel a bit insensitive. Mod parent up.

  14. Re:Reminds me of... by SL+Baur · · Score: 3, Funny

    The virus takes your FAT and stores it in RAM. Awesome! Sounds like a weight loss system that could really work.
  15. Re:But were they smart, or stupid? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    anyone with half a brain will not give out their bank account details when blackmailing someone. I beg to differ. Prince Omadeke has been very forthcoming with all the bank details, officially signed documents, and necessary guarantees to ensure our secret transaction is carried out according to all successful modalities.
  16. Re:But were they smart, or stupid? by commodoresloat · · Score: 4, Funny

    STOP.

  17. Re:But were they smart, or stupid? by RexDevious · · Score: 5, Funny

    Wait a minute... Western Union has absolutely nothing in place to flag illegal payments? You can't fill out the form saying the money is for blackmail?

    Jeez. If not - I'd fill out the form saying the payment was to help Osama Bin Laden buy some Yellow Cake Uranium-flavoured rolling papers that had pictures of Child Porn on ons side, and copy written Metallica lyrics and Vista Activation codes on the other. Surely one of our many country's many Big Brother Agency would ensure the black mailer had a quick career change.

  18. Cha-ching by billcopc · · Score: 2, Funny

    This makes it a little too easy:

    1. Follow the money trail to the asshat (probably based in China or Russia).

    2. Post the info on /.

    3. I lead a mob of bored geeks to go beat the mustard out of this punk (and get the private key)

    4. decryption algo posted on /.

    5. everyone laughs at you, but at least you get your data back, and I get to crush someone's skull. everyone wins!

    --
    -Billco, Fnarg.com
  19. Re:But were they smart, or stupid? by silvalen · · Score: 5, Funny

    HAMMER TIME.

  20. Re:But were they smart, or stupid? by twoshortplanks · · Score: 2, Funny

    COLLABORATE AND LISTEN

    --
    -- Sorry, I can't think of anything funny to say here.