14 DAY TRIAL // A new piece of malware is making the rounds, encrypting the files on the victim’s computer, demanding ransom payments, and making threats. Sophos researchers have identified this ransomware as being Troj/Ransom-HC and they warn that it’s an element that users should certainly beware of.
Once the malware finds itself on a computer, the victim is altered that all his/her files have been encrypted. If the machine’s owner wants the files back, he/she must pay a “penalty” within 96 hours.
So far there’s nothing really new. Bitdefender experts came across a similar threat a while ago. However, in this case, the cybercriminals step it up a notch.
They warn victims that if they don’t comply with their demands, they will send a “special password” to the police. Authorities can allegedly use this password to decrypt the files that contain spamming software and adult content that involves children.
The crooks, whose first language is clearly not English, conclude, “If first 48 hours will be ended you must pay 3,000 Euro.”
Of course, the fraudsters will not send anything to the police, but users who have been up to no good online might tend to take the threats seriously.
On the other hand, the main issue with such ransomware is the fact that it’s not an easy task to recover the files. In many cases, security experts have managed to find the decryption passwords, but in some situations the files may be lost for good.
For people who store valuable information on their hard drives and don’t have any backups there may not be any other way than to pay the ransom.
However, this is not recommended, since once they see that you’re willing to pay up, the cybercriminals might raise the value of the ransom and they may place you on their short list of “potential future victims.”
To avoid ending up in such situations, steer clear of shady websites and always keep your software updated.