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Ransomware Hack Targeting 2 Million an Hour (axios.com)
New submitter Zorro writes: A ransomware attack sweeping the globe right now is launching about 8,000 different versions of the virus script at Barracuda's customers, Eugene Weiss, lead platform architect at Barracuda, told Axios, and it's hitting at a steady rate of about 2 million attacks per hour. What to watch out for: An incoming email spoofing the destination host, with a subject about "Herbalife" or a "copier" file delivery. Two of the latest variants Barracuda has detected include a paragraph about legalese to make it seem official, or a line about how a "payment is attached," which tricks you to click since, as Weiss puts it, "everyone wants a payment."
This article is bullshit and is written by a person with zero technical skills. Ransomware is not targeting 2 million users per hour. A spam botnet is sending 2 million emails per hour (which I don't believe either, average is 20K-100K per spam botnet). The emails carry file attachments that deploy ransomware. About 10% of spam emails are opened, and about 1% actually yield infections. ... I could go on breaking down every stupidity contained in that article.... but I actually have better things to do. This comment right here is more informative compared with the linked article.... which, btw, is based on reporting from a company that provides backup solutions. If this came from Bitdefender or Kaspersky, this would actually be credible.
This type of vector (payment included or here's your fax or you have a voicemail) are pretty common. I've noticed a significant increase lately, zipped with 7zip, which might be this payload. (I don't have any interest in finding out.) Part of me wants to ask, does anyone actually fall for these? But of course, that's a stupid question.
Oliver's law of assumed responsibility: If you're seen fixing it, you will be blamed for breaking it.
Who, in this day and age, opens unsolicited attachments??
Even my most tech-averse friends don't do that. The thing I have to remind them about nowadays is that they also shouldn't open attachments from people they know unless they've confirmed those people intended to send them.