It all starts with a simple email. "They are scared and they are angry. It is a real terrible experience for them." Joe Ruthaford is talking about computer users who mistakenly launched a potent internet phishing scheme. He recently saw one of those ravaged computers in his Beacon Hill repair shop.
"It is extremely damaging. It is one of the worst ones." It's called cryptolocker ransomware. Kevin Swindon is with the FBI in Boston. "I would think about this particular type of malware as what would happen if your computer was destroyed," Swindon said.
In the past 90 days, thousands of people worldwide have opened a seemingly innocuous link to track a holiday package. Suddenly, all the files on their computer are encrypted.
Joan Goodchild is the editor of "CSO," Chief Security Officer magazine based in Framingham. "This is a criminal operation. They are holding your folders and files ransom. We call this ransomware because that is exactly what it is. You need to pay in order to have access to them once again."
And that is exactly what happened last month at the Swansea Police Department. Cryptolocker ransomware took over the department's entire computer system and the police were forced to pay a $750 ransom to get back control. As the ransomware takes over your computer, a countdown clock appears and shows victims how long they have to pay up. That means purchasing a key, or software, to reverse the process. And victims must do that using the online virtual currency known as bitcoins.
"Once you have purchased a bitcoin, then the transaction that you use that bitcoin in is encrypted, and therefore you cannot trace it," explained Goodchild. Swindon says it appears to be the perfect crime. The FBI tells WBZ-TV they are very worried about this spreading in 2014. The scheme could be the work of organized gangs overseas. So far, no one has been caught.
Reader Comments
You can "inoculate" your Windows computer against being "infected" with CryptoLocker:
[Link]
Your PC is much safer running Linux, or even Mac OS X on an Apple PC. Those are both Unix-like PC operating systems, and they're not nearly as vulnerable to malware.
It could be as is claimed, or it could be the "other side" pushing back against bitcoin, the currency that threatens TPTB, although I'm not convinced that they're as threatened as some make out. So people that start to take heed about gold & silver & bitcoin will think long & hard about "terrorists" using it, or that those who created it ARE the "terrorists" & are using proxies.
Of course they have several yarns they can spin, since people can't be bothered to do at least, SOME research (If they actually know what that is) they'll just accept the BS narratives.
CryptoLocker is real. It is a criminal enterprise. The purveyors of CryptoLocker are truly evil MFs.
Who at the PD is opening emails "to track your holiday package"
I work in the computer repair industry and I have seen many iterations of this 'ransom ware'. It always works the same way, the client follows a link and ignorantly installs the virus.
Granted, this particular piece of software is the most malicious to come out of the hacker's TOR, but it still cannot work unless installed.
The most powerful tool we have to fight this corruption is education. I've done everything in my power to inform my clients of this threat and I have yet to see one case of this virus attack any of their computers.
I have been surprised to see the lack of dissemination about how to avoid this virus in mainstream circles. Sure they mention it on the news and in articles such as this one, but where is the actual preventative information?
Basically, my rule of thumb is this: Don't install anything to your computer if you don't know exactly where it is coming from and find yourself a good computer tech who takes the time to research viruses and various other technical issues that evolve at the speed of sound. Make sure that your tech provides phone and remote support as well.
Also, if using a newer version of Windows (Vista, 7, or 8), that you leave the UAC on. Micro$oft knows that their product is vulnerable and have put the UAC in place as an added barrier against viruses and other malicious software.
If you are somewhat patient and take the time to gain a simple understanding of how computers operate, you will never be suckered into a scam such as the 'Cryptolocker' malware.
To reiterate, ransomware is not a new phenomenon. It has been around for at least five years, this particular iteration of it, however, is the most potent to be released to date. All it takes to stop software like this in its tracks is education and a refusal to be a pawn in the digital theft process.
If you were an honest man you would abandon serving evil by making Windows sort of function and move your ustomers to an honest OS.
But that would cost you most of your knowledge power so you keep the status quo.
There were people just like you in 1988 and nothing has changed. They were out there en mass mocking the macintosh while Microsoft made a crappy copy of it that Never worked.
Not sure why they're baffled - this same technique has been used for years. The only difference is paying with BitCoins. Oh, so they're demonizing bitcoins...