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US Warns Users of Child-Porn Blackmail Ransomware

Posted by timothy on from the nefarious-evildoers dept.

coondoggie writes "The nasty Trojan known as Citadel malware, which is based on Zeus, has typically been used to extort money from online banking users, but a new variant is making the rounds that tries to get your money by saying you looked at child porn sites and must pay a violation fee to the U.S. Department of Justice. This variation, called Reveton, lures the victim to a drive-by download website, at which time the ransomware is installed on the user's computer, says the U.S. Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). Once installed, the computer freezes and a screen is displayed warning the user they have violated United States Federal Law."

5 of 196 comments (clear)

  1. Scummy yet brilliant. by MrQuacker · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Its not like you can call the police and complain about it. You'll instantly get labeled as a pedo and have your kids taken away.

    1. Re:Scummy yet brilliant. by ObsessiveMathsFreak · · Score: 5, Insightful

      This has nothing to do with "possession" or even crime in and of itself.

      This has to do with the hysterical overreaction of the general public towards anything which is so much as suspected as being involved with or related to child pornography. Victims of this ransom-ware may well pay in fear of being ripped to pieces by an angry mob, and their fears would not be all that far fetched at this point. At the very least, they stand a good chance of having their entire life ruined should even a hint of suspicion fall on them.

      Child pornography, like all hysterias, has become an excuse for a segments of the public to indulge in chaos, anarchy and criminal behaviour in their reaction to it. Even a pointed finger can now be a life or death sentence for innocent people. This is why it was important not to let the rule of law slide on this or any other issue.

      But no. People wanted to indulge their outrage. I suppose democracies get what they deserve.

      --
      May the Maths Be with you!
  2. Re:Who would fall for a fee? by Amouth · · Score: 5, Insightful

    but even if it is only in that area - you have to prove you didn't do it, and even if you can do that you have to do it n court, even if you come away "free" then it is still there that you where once prosecuted for it, and you have to live/survive that process which will more than likely ruin your life as you know it.

    --
    '...if only "Jumping to a Conclusion" was an event in the Olympics.'
  3. Re:de-lousing... by SuricouRaven · · Score: 5, Insightful

    You are not the target of this scam.

  4. Re:aka Idiot tax by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    In most places, Illegal porn gets you a a dirty look from the judge and a fine if you are really unlucky. CP on the other hand can get you a 20+ year sentence in the US.

    It doesn't matter if the victim watches it or not. The scammers are hoping to exploit the fact that their victims would be reluctant to seek help out of fear of false prosecution, which is not as far fetched as I'd like to. Personally, I'd suggest zero-write to anyone who caught this bug. I wouldn't count on the malware authors not putting incriminating evidence on infected systems and even putting spiteful logic bombs which trigger when you clean the infection. Better paranoid than trying to reason with the pitchfork jury.