"Conversation should be pleasant without scurrility, witty without affectation, free without indecency, learned without conceitedness, novel without falsehood."
Published on May 31, 2006 By Sally jacobs In Internet
I read an article in the News today that was quite interesting, I thought I would share it here, for those people like me, who aren't exactly completely computer literate.

The News here is calling these people Internet Pirates, however I think that is slightly glorifying them, so I shall refer to them as what they are, and that's online criminals. Police here are investigating a hijacking of home computers. These people then request payment to return valuable files. A woman here logged on to her PC to find that all her files had been deleted and moved to a folder which had a 30-digit password. She also found a file called, "INSTRUCTIONS HOW TO GET YOUR FILES BACK". This file told her she would be emailed the password if she paid for some pharmaceutical drugs from a website.

Apparently criminals have developed a new type of virus, nicknamed "ransom-ware", which basically just blackmails its victims. The story I read about is believed to be the first cse in Britain, though it first surfaced in the US earlier this year. The virus mananged to infect this womans PC after she clicked on a pop-up advert offering to clean bugs from her PC. The computer virus that infected this womans PC - called Archiveus - warns people not to contact the police or search for a password. Internet criminals have attacked businesses before, and demanded payment to stop the attacks, but this new threat targets home users rather than businesses.

The news article also suggested some ways of countering this problem, so I thought I'd post them here, though I think alot of it is common sense;

INSTALL an industry standard anti-virus program.
Usually this can be done free of charge and although security programs do protect computers, nothing is 100 percent fool-proof. Security programs can be bought or downloaded.

KEEP your security packages up to date. New viruses are being created all the time.

INSTALL an industry standard firewall program. A firewall places a virtual barrier between a computer and internet hackers who might try to delete information or steal the identity of users.

NEVER open e-mails attachments or pop-up windows you are not familiar with. Attachments are said to be particularly dangerous.

Comments (Page 1)
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on May 31, 2006
It sounds more like a Symantec advertisement or negative information designed to boost sales.


The proper way to fight the criminals is to keep everything backed up so when they do steal anything, it doesn't matter. AV software is very important but to beat these guys you need to backup. Besides, if you are stupid enough to open an email attachment from someone you don't know....noone or nothing is going to help you. Your dumb...learn to live with it.
on May 31, 2006
I agree with Night Train, if you're that stupid, you probably shouldn't be using the net or email, stick to a typewriter....
on May 31, 2006
I agree with Night Train, if you're that stupid


I don't know so much! I read about this 'ransome-ware' somewhere and the article stated that the authors are quite clever and can simulate emails from trusted sources/contacts.....hence, the recipient believes the email is from someone they know.

In the intersts of safety, then, it's best to advise all contacts not to attach links in email...and to refuse to open any links at all.
on May 31, 2006
when they do steal anything, it doesn't matter


Well, except now they have access to your e-mails, credit cards, bank accounts, and possibly your SIN.
on May 31, 2006
xcept now they have access to.....possibly your SIN.


Ain't a mortal alive could handle MY SIN.
on May 31, 2006
Ain't a mortal alive could handle MY SIN.


And what makes you think that....I can get pretty wikkid when the fancy/need arises. Or do trolls have a special connection to the dark side we don't know about.

Then there's quite a few 'mere mortal' politicians and lawyers that'd give ol' Beelzebub a solid run for his money.
on Jun 01, 2006
trolls have a special connection to the dark side
on Jun 01, 2006
Okay, Bichur, I've been in touch with my masculine and feminine sides, and the mischievous lad side never left me, so where do mere mortals, such as myself, sign up for special 'troll' lessons to get in touch with our darker sides?

I've always wanted to compete with evil politicians on an equal basis, so cough up and tell us yer secrets
on Jun 01, 2006
The proper way to fight the criminals is to keep everything backed up so when they do steal anything, it doesn't matter. AV software is very important but to beat these guys you need to backup. Besides, if you are stupid enough to open an email attachment from someone you don't know....noone or nothing is going to help you. Your dumb...learn to live with it.


Yep I agree, and as one of these dumb people you speak of, I am learning to live with my disability, hehe!

if you're that stupid, you probably shouldn't be using the net or email, stick to a typewriter....


Oh come on, even stupid people deserve a chance...

I read about this 'ransome-ware' somewhere and the article stated that the authors are quite clever and can simulate emails from trusted sources/contacts.....hence, the recipient believes the email is from someone they know.


Well no matter how stupid think it is, the reality is people still fall for this kind of thing, so these criminals are doing something right!

I've been in touch with my masculine and feminine sides, and the mischievous lad side never left me, so where do mere mortals, such as myself, sign up for special 'troll' lessons to get in touch with our darker sides?


Oohh can I sign up for these lessons too? I quite fancy getting in touch with my evil side!
on Jun 01, 2006
Night Train has a good suggestion, but I think this warning is for your Aunt Irene that thinks a backup is what you do out of your driveway.  Warnings like this are interesting to the paranoid like me, but invaluable to Aunt Irene.
on Jun 01, 2006
but I think this warning is for your Aunt Irene that thinks a backup is what you do out of your driveway.


...good one Doc!


if you're that stupid, you probably shouldn't be using the net or email, stick to a typewriter....


Brat, it's not being stupid really, some people just aren't aware....stupid is a bit harsh isn't it?



I received an email yesterday telling me to verify my bank information or else....of course I knew that was one of those scams. I get them all the time and they go straight to the trash bin. Sometimes I forward them to my bank for them to see and check it out.

The thing is for everyone to be aware there are disgusting people out there doing things like that and the Internet is no exception.
on Jun 01, 2006

The thing is for everyone to be aware there are disgusting people out there doing things like that and the Internet is no exception.

The Internet spawned them....

on Jun 01, 2006
Brat, it's not being stupid really, some people just aren't aware....stupid is a bit harsh isn't it?


Yes, particularly when these parasites can emulate/simulate emails from known sources/contacts. I mean, how many of us see emails from trusted sources and open them in the belief they're safe? Yep, 'stupid' is a bit over the top, considering how clever and sophisticated the spammers and hackers have become. They might not fool all of the people all of the time, but their methods fool some of the people some of the time.


The Internet spawned them..


Sorry to disagree, but my first wife became disgusting long before the advent of the internet. She wasn't exactly 'bridezilla' to begin with, but once she got that ring on her finger....
on Jun 01, 2006
if you're that stupid, you probably shouldn't be using the net or email, stick to a typewriter....

Brat, it's not being stupid really, some people just aren't aware....stupid is a bit harsh isn't it?


I agree with Serenity. I've seen people not paying attention (which is completely different from being stupid) and accidentally open attachments. Then there are those who aren't so computer literate, such as my parents. To categorise everyone who makes such a mistake as stupid is a little harsh.
on Jun 01, 2006
It's been cracked already: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/5038330.stm

The 30-digit password locking the files is "mf2lro8sw03ufvnsq034jfowr18f3cszc20vmw". Using the password should restore all the hijacked files.

"Now the password has been uncovered, there should be no reason for anyone hit by this ransomware attack to have to make any payments to the criminals behind it," said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant for security firm Sophos.
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