Hackers hold documents hostage!

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Computer users already anxious about viruses and identity theft have new reason to worry: Hackers have found a way to lock up the electronic documents on your computer and then demand $200 over the Internet to get them back.

This is so annoying!!! I hate when viruses and spyware get in my PC.
Just the other day something got in and my PC started running very slow. I lost the internet!!!!! I just came home from school now too find it online. I HATE HACKERS!!! I mean really does anyone remember those happy days when you could surf the net without worry? Happy days..........Still a man can dream............

Full Story: Hackers hold documents hostage

I remember reading this. Got to give the devil his due; that's a hell of a new twist. I'm mainly surprised it hadn't been done before. I almost wish I'd thought of it first...

Originally posted by MCory1
I almost wish I'd thought of it first...

Really? That would explain alot...............Your not a hacker are you!!!???

Originally posted by Atomix

Originally posted by MCory1
I almost wish I'd thought of it first...

Really? That would explain alot...............Your not a hacker are you!!!???

Ah, as much of a computer nerd as I may be, the extent of my hacking attempts has been limited to unsuccessfully trying to delete all of the email addresses from a spammer's mailing list. Even then, I think I only did it once.

Originally posted by Atomix

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Computer users already anxious about viruses and identity theft have new reason to worry: Hackers have found a way to lock up the electronic documents on your computer and then demand $200 over the Internet to get them back.

This has nothing to do with real hacking....i mean no skilled hacker would act that stupid. Besides that most elite hackers have their own agenda which is mostly anarchy driven in the means of "free information for everyone" So all a true hacker really does is stealing information and spreading it with no interest in gaining money from it.
This data kidnap is surely the work of some script kid.

And to remind you all you need is a good and updated virus/firewall software. Most viruses are so successful because most computer owners never update their OS and AntiVirus Software. And stay away from lame pop-up porn sites...most trojans are spread that way.

Agreed with above ^. All you would need to do this is a simple trojan that you can get anywhere online.

About the freedom of information from major hackers. I couldn't agree more, although many of them get off the beaten track. That is the most widely known agenda, trying to stop corporations from cutting our online rights back.

But as everyone knows there is another group of major hackers the "white hat hackers" these are the guys that work for those big corp.'s and hack it themselves trying to fix it. That would be the most fun job, except you gotta' be freakin' good.

Still we should have some government dept. dedicated to stopping hackers. Wait a sec, do we?

Not that i know of.....unless you count the NSA with there gaint hacky stoppy programme creator people.......why dont YOU set one up!