Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

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?"

5 of 409 comments (clear)

  1. This has been done before by mrbill1234 · · Score: 5, Informative

    This same thing happened in the late 80's (or maybe early 90's). Some hackers mailed a 5.25 inch floppy with some "free" software on it to thousands of people around the world. When you installed the software, it would hijack your PC and encrypt various files and you had to pay a ransom to get it back. There was a EULA and everything with the disk (which of course nobody read) which made it clear what would happen if you installed the disk. Perhaps someone can remember what it was called.

  2. Re:But were they smart, or stupid? by Opportunist · · Score: 5, Informative

    Allow me to tell you how the money trail on this works:

    You are asked to send money through Western Union or some other provider that doesn't check your ID for amounts smaller than a few thousand USD. Then they send some bum to one of the thousand WD offices, somewhere on this planet, with the withdrawal code. And only once they get your money, you get your decryption key.

    So, now you know where the money ends up, and why police can't do jack about it.

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  3. Re:But were they smart, or stupid? by Duncan+Blackthorne · · Score: 5, Informative
    And only once they get your money, you get your decryption key.

    "And only once they get your money, you don't get your decryption key."

    There, fixed that for you. :-)

  4. Re:But were they smart, or stupid? by computerman413 · · Score: 5, Informative

    No, Western Union discontinued telegrams 2 years ago

  5. Oh please! We all know there aren't any REAL banks by falconwolf · · Score: 5, Informative

    in Nigeria?

    There are real banks in Nigeria, owned by the ruling ethnic group, that's where the billions of dollars from oil goes. The rulers get their money while those who live where the oil comes from, the Niger Delta, have to fight for scraps.

    Falcon
    --
    Should there be a Law?