Thursday, January 03, 2008

Sociopath Update: Ransomware?

New "ransomware" that locks up a person’s PC and demands US$35 to return control to its user is on the prowl, a security researcher said this week.The extortionists tell victims of the Delf.ctk Trojan horse to dial a 900 number, said Alex Eckelberry, CEO of Sunbelt Software Distribution Inc., a Clearwater, Fla.-based security developer. That number can be traced to "passwordtwoenter.com," a payment processor also used by hardcore pornography Web sites to charge for access to their content, added Eckelberry.

Users infected with the Trojan horse see a full-screen message posing as an error generated by Windows, according to screenshots posted by Eckelberry on the Sunbelt company blog on Monday. "ERROR: Browser Security and Antiadware [sic] Software component license exprited [sic]," the message reads. "Surfing PORN, ADULT and some other kind of sites you like without this software is dangerous and threatens with infection of your computer by harmful viruses, adware, spyware, etc."

Read the rest of the CSO report on "ransomware" here.

No comments: