Ransomware?

[Raziaar]

I'm surprised I never heard of this.

Anybody else been aware of attacks like this, or maybe even experienced them? Or for that matter even, experienced any sort of virus/malware that caused irreversible damage to your system by deleting/damaging important data? Everything I've experienced so far has been fairly mild as far as damage is concerned... once cleaned the system was back to normal without a reformat or anything.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ransomware_(malware)

http://www.securelist.com/en/blog/333/GpCode_like_Ransomware_Is_Back

As we explained before, this type of malware is very dangerous because the chances of getting your data back are very low. It is almost the same as permanent removal of the data from your hard drive. Back in 2006 and 2008, we managed to offer a few ways of recovering and even decrypting your data with our decryption tools.

Now, GpCode is back and it is stronger than before. Unlike the previous variants, it doesn't delete files after encryption. Instead it overwrites data in the files, which makes it impossible to use data-recovery software such as PhotoRec, which we suggested during the last attack.

How the **** are people contracting this shit anyway?

I'm particularly fascinated about the encryption aspects though... and the fact that you'll likely never ever see your files again no matter what unless you give in considering that the key can not be cracked.

EDIT: lol lazy one below

 

[Adabiviak]

I've heard of them, but have never seen a live one.

 

[15357]

What's the purpose of this? I mean, wouldn't the writer get caught if they made you pay them?

 

[xcellerate]

I wonder how intelligent it is. I basically have no data on my main hard drive and keep everything on a second drive. So if they encrypted my documents folder and my desktop they'd get a couple save game files and game icons.

There's no telling where the money goes once you send it. Once it leaves the country I'd imagine it's pretty much over in terms of legal jurisdiction, and if it goes to some underdeveloped country you know their government won't do shit to track them down.

I know it's not 'sensitive' or whatever, but for some of these scammers it's like I'm sorry you were born in a shitty country, to a shitty family, and live a shitty life, but don't try and better your situation by leaching off the fortune and hard work of others.

 

[Hectic Glenn]

Based on watching those videos most of them come from Russia. They don't seem that complex but because people foolishly send money or contact them (which they make money from on those phone numbers) it provides a steady income for the developers to create more complex ransomware.

Also I'm sure a lot of the security threats on the web are born in what we may call 'developed nations' xcellerate. There are scams in everywhere I look where I live, all I have to do is look on my door mat and apparently I've won £32,000 from readers digest (GUARANTEED!) as long as I send them £30 to claim it. As long as people are naive and stupid, these kinds of things will succeed. It would surprise you how many people are desperate to cut a few corners in life.

 

[Warped]

I constantly have my data backed up onto my external drive so I'm happy its safe at least somewhere else. Cloud data storage will help with shit like this too but its only in it infancy

 

[Remus]

Yeah, I should also back up my stuff. I already lost a lot of things on an old HDD from a mechanical failure. I'm considering buying an external HDD for backup.


That being said, I've never really had too much trouble with my PC getting infested. Only one time a few years ago, I had to reformat the primary HDD I had my system on, but that's it.

 

[Dinnesch]

I have my important data on Dropbox because it's so convenient compared to external drives. Just hoping someone doesn't hack my account & change my password.

Also, did anyone feel those 'lets play' videos in OP were fun to watch?

 

[Krynn72]

I should back up more of my stuff. I have most of it backed up, but with the amount of digital work I do (painting, drawing, 3D modeling, illustrator, etc, etc) it gets overwhelming backing that stuff up.

I just set a reminder, plug in my external, and have it back up my whole work directory.

 

[Vegeta897]

Those videos were pretty fun to watch, especially the last one.

We have established that, while surfing the internet, you were watching materials with pornographic content (including homosexual content pornography)

 

[Raziaar]

Based on watching those videos most of them come from Russia. They don't seem that complex but because people foolishly send money or contact them (which they make money from on those phone numbers) it provides a steady income for the developers to create more complex ransomware.

Also I'm sure a lot of the security threats on the web are born in what we may call 'developed nations' xcellerate. There are scams in everywhere I look where I live, all I have to do is look on my door mat and apparently I've won £32,000 from readers digest (GUARANTEED!) as long as I send them £30 to claim it. As long as people are naive and stupid, these kinds of things will succeed. It would surprise you how many people are desperate to cut a few corners in life.

Yeah the ones that are really dangerous are the ones the kasperski guy mentions regarding the encryption at RSA-1024 levels.


I'm just really curious how these sorts of threats are going to evolve as time progresses on and technology becomes more and more sophisticated.

I've always wondered about computer afflictions that can cause serious physical damage to a computer such as shorts or electrical fires.

 

[xcellerate]

Based on watching those videos most of them come from Russia. They don't seem that complex but because people foolishly send money or contact them (which they make money from on those phone numbers) it provides a steady income for the developers to create more complex ransomware.

Also I'm sure a lot of the security threats on the web are born in what we may call 'developed nations' xcellerate. There are scams in everywhere I look where I live, all I have to do is look on my door mat and apparently I've won £32,000 from readers digest (GUARANTEED!) as long as I send them £30 to claim it. As long as people are naive and stupid, these kinds of things will succeed. It would surprise you how many people are desperate to cut a few corners in life.

Sounds like Russia is a major player in this, at least according to wikipedia:

Ransomware is widely distributed in Russian Federation and another Russian-speaking countries since 2010. About several millions (or even more) of computers in the former USSR was infected for the last two years with malware that was blocking booting of the Windows operation system or disabling Internet access until the user pay required sum of money through special SMS numbers or electronic money systems.

 

[Acepilotf14]

It's always Russia.

 

[Bad^Hat]

-- I don't know who you are. I don't know what you want. If you are looking for ransom, I can tell you I don't have money. But what I do have are a very particular set of skills; skills I have acquired over a very long career. Skills that make me a nightmare for people like you. If you let my data go now, that'll be the end of it. I will not look for you, I will not pursue you. But if you don't, I will look for you, I will find you, and I will kill you.

-- Good luck.

 

[Yuri]

taken was the best movie of the century so far

 

[Stigmata]

Reading that last line in the Starfox64 voice almost lends him an air of "believable villain".

 

[Sulkdodds]

I have never encountered ransomware, but I did recently read the first few chapters of Charlie Stross' near-future sci-fi novel Rule 34, in which a scrounging Scotsman's backyard 3D-printer matter-fabricator is infected in the course of printing a juvenile sex doll for a local paedophile by malicious ransomware that makes it manufacture piles and piles of multicoloured rubber penises until he pays up. I also made sure to back up all my important data before making this post in case I jinxed myself.

 

[Vegeta897]

God damnit Sulk I thought that was a real novel for a second.

Now you have to write it, you asshole.

 

[Bad^Hat]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rule_34_(novel)

 

[Sulkdodds]

It's totally real, and you can read the relevant chapter here.

 

[Vegeta897]

Well now I don't want to read it :<

 

[Remus]

Sounds like a stupid novel. *arms*