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Badly-Coded Ransomware Locks User Files and Throws Away Encryption Key (softpedia.com)
An anonymous reader writes: A new ransomware family was not tested by its developer and is encrypting user files and then throwing away the encryption key because of an error in its programming. The ransomware author wanted to cut down costs by using a static encryption key for all users, but the ransomware kept generating random keys which it did not store anywhere. The only way to recover files is if users had a previous backup. You can detect it by the ransom message which has the same ID:qDgx5Bs8H
Apps!
So it's like the old fashion viruses that actually cause damage to your system then.
If the author decided on an open source project, the community could have found and developed a fix during beta testing.
I particularly enjoyed how TFA explained that they usually make it a point not to point out mistakes in ransomeware to the author to avoid giving them a leg up, but then "made an exception" in this case and proceeded to give a short lecture to the author about how to fix his "bug".
I always thought we should lock up those bastards and throw away the key. Shall we take it as a recommendation how he wants to be treated when we catch him?
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
Well, that's one good example of why one should never negotiate with terrorists - you never know, maybe the hostages have been already executed.
Isn't that usually the case? I never thought paying the ransom would actually be followed by the recovery of the data...
Video of some good progressive thrash music
Disasters Usually Motivate Backups
== Jez ==
Do you miss Firefox? Try Pale Moon.
Well, that's what happens when you use Windows: you get infected with badly-written ransomware.
Moral of the story: don't use Windows. (Or, only use it on your employer's computers because they insist on it. If it gets infected, who cares, you're getting paid for the downtime anyway.)
As a software tester I can say developers make bad testers indeed!
Dev: "The unit tests all passed. Let's ship it to production!" ... You see where this is going, Le Sigh.
QA: "How many unit tests did you make around this new functionality."
Dev: "None. I write those while I wait for ops to get the code deployed to production"
QA: "... So you believe in time travel to fix your bugs? And for that matter, how many unit tests have you written since the last deploy?"
Get a virtual machine up and running or an older MacBook off eBay and it does Internet and all downloads.
Any crap needs to be isolated to the VM or email machine.
https://blockchain.info/address/1Pw1JinSMhf93MRqfYW3KeywX8oFjs6fLe
I can only hope those transactions are by the owner of the wallet, like putting a few coins in a tip-box.
For extra lulz, the ransom should have been sent to "1BitcoinEaterAddressDontSendf59kuE".
http://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/35842/is-it-actually-possible-to-create-a-verifiably-unspendable-address
These "proof of burn" addresses can be used to demonstrate that you're a "better class of criminal"...
https://theonewithjb.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/joker.gif
"It's not about money! It's about sending a message: everything burns!"
Seems like the kind of quality you can usually expect from those lazy, cheating, corner-cutters on the subcontinent.
Now that we've decided to help bug-fix ransomware, anyone consider its usability?
"Once launched with administrator privileges, the Trojan loads into the memory of its process files containing cybercriminals' demands:"
In other words, it probably goes something like this:
% tar -xf "ransomware-dontrunme-whatareyouanidiot?.tar" ./configure > /dev/null 2>&1
/dev/null 2>&1
/dev/null 2>&1
./runransomware
% cd ransomware-dontrunme
%
% make >
% make install >
%./runransomware
Error: Permission denied. Please run as root.
% sudo
Password:
Segfault in libc.so. Please reinstall.
Followed by much sighing, and trying to google what the problem is.
See, this is the problem with the Linux desktop. Even installing malware is just too darned complicated.
Unfortunately it seems some people Just Don't Get It. They would probably recoil at the idea of only having one set of house keys yet for some reason they think having only 1 copy of important files is just dandy. To be frank, they deserve what they get because if this sort of malware doesn't get them then a dead hard drive or their own fat fingers on a delete button will one day.
Just asking......would anyone really be all that upset if the fucker that coded this was hunted down and beaten to death? Or shot full of holes?
I've searched my soul (what tiny, tiny fragments remain) and personally I wouldn't mind one bit.
Seriously, if I read tomorrow morning that he'd been found dead as a result of some brutal, awful violence, I wouldn't even stop eating my bagel.
Just cruising through this digital world at 33 1/3 rpm...
I'm with you. Kill everyone of these Cryptowall thieving bastards. The world would litterally be a better place and I would lose not a single other thought cycle to these little parasites.
Fuck them and fuck every one of these bleeding heart whiny-assed liberal Anonymous Cowards that are railing against you and your post. I hope Cryptowall silences their pathetic granola crunching asses.
That's not a badly coded ransomware, that's was the intent of FSOCIETY's malware.
because he bounced all Command Control messages through your IP address and now they are coming for you.
Any death/extreme penalty can be abused and used to set up innocents and is the main reason countries/states choose not to implement them.
Your innocent in the eyes of the law until you are proven guilty, only that does not mean a) you did it b) you deserve it. ::I am commenting on Slashdot as an Anonymouscoward, this can not end well::
This is outrageous! I'm going to ask for my money back!
That hacker has what it takes to join the Home Alone crew (the wet bandits)
lucm, indeed.