Ransomware Is Expanding in the United States

[jsr]

Last edited Thu Dec 6, 2012, 11:57 PM - Edit history (1)

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/06/technology/ransomware-is-expanding-in-the-united-states.html

For PC Virus Victims, Pay or Else
By NICOLE PERLROTH

CULVER CITY, Calif. — Kidnappers used to make ransom notes with letters cut out of magazines. Now, notes simply pop up on your computer screen, except the hostage is your PC.

In the past year, hundreds of thousands of people across the world have switched on their computers to find distressing messages alerting them that they no longer have access to their PCs or any of the files on them.

The messages claim to be from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, some 20 other law enforcement agencies across the globe or, most recently, Anonymous, a shadowy group of hackers. The computer users are told that the only way to get their machines back is to pay a steep fine.

And, curiously, it’s working. The scheme is making more than $5 million a year, according to computer security experts who are tracking them.

[5X]

1. For anyone infected with one of these...

paying the ransom will not fix your computer. And please don't give out ur credit card number,
these aren't trustworthy people.

I work in a computer shop, these type of infections are very prolific right now and some infections are much worse than others.

[Brigid]

2. A few months ago,

I ran into this on a computer at school. It was crazy!

[easychoice]

3. boot into safe mode with networking

download SpyBot ,check for updates ,update Spybot and run it.Problem solved...

[jsr]

4. Newer variants also live in safe mode

Windows Defender + MBAM would be the best fix in that case.

[MrSlayer]

5. They're getting harder and harder to get rid of.

The last one my kid got I'm sad to say beat me. I had to format and lost a ton of quality material. The people that write these things and send them out should be executed. Seriously, executed. It's such a scumbag move.

[jsr]

6. No kidding.

They're scum.