Child pornography ransomware warning

US warns users of new Citadel ransomware hit

The nasty Trojan known as Citadel malware, which is based on Zeus, has typically been used to extort money from online banking users, but a new variant is making the rounds that tries to get your money by saying you looked at child porn sites and must pay a violation fee to the U.S. Department of Justice.

This variation, called Reveton, lures the victim to a drive-by download website, at which time the ransomware is installed on the user's computer, says the U.S. Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). Once installed, the computer freezes and a screen is displayed warning the user they have violated United States Federal Law. The crimeware declares the user's IP address was identified by the Computer Crime & Intellectual Property Section as visiting child pornography and other illegal content.

Source

What a truly awful trojan. People are going to be paying the fine out of pure fear. First i thought to myself 'well only the people who have been looking at illegal images will pay up' but then i realized that people with good jobs and reputations might pay up out of fear of being prosecuted even though they havent been up to anything involving CP. Seeing a warning like that come up on the computer would scare most people to death.

There is another one that claims to be from Germany, I got hit with it on xmas day and had to reformat my laptop to get rid of the bugger.

Hopefully most people would realize that you have to actually be prosecuted before you pay a fine and it will never be via a message on your computer screen.
To think people actually fall for this is crazy.

Originally posted by GmoS719
Hopefully most people would realize that you have to actually be prosecuted before you pay a fine and it will never be via a message on your computer screen.
To think people actually fall for this is crazy.

Most people do realise this, the problem is, you can't use your PC/laptop online untill you get it sorted.
As soon as you open your browser the screen is taken up with the notificaton of the so called violation and how to sort it out by paying up.
It is notoriously difficult to remove.

Originally posted by BrianDamage

Originally posted by GmoS719
Hopefully most people would realize that you have to actually be prosecuted before you pay a fine and it will never be via a message on your computer screen.
To think people actually fall for this is crazy.

Most people do realise this, the problem is, you can't use your PC/laptop online untill you get it sorted.
As soon as you open your browser the screen is taken up with the notificaton of the so called violation and how to sort it out by paying up.
It is notoriously difficult to remove.

I often wonder if virus's are created by virus scanner companies. nothing gets people motivated to buy stuff quite like humiliation

I would worry that the virus would actually install some child porn on your computer. This would deter people from taking their computer somewhere to remove the virus.
That is a bad scenario. Now you are stuck with a computer that has child porn on it somewhere and a threat to report you if you do not pay up.
There are some pretty evil people out there.

Originally posted by BrianDamage

Originally posted by GmoS719
Hopefully most people would realize that you have to actually be prosecuted before you pay a fine and it will never be via a message on your computer screen.
To think people actually fall for this is crazy.

Most people do realise this, the problem is, you can't use your PC/laptop online untill you get it sorted.
As soon as you open your browser the screen is taken up with the notificaton of the so called violation and how to sort it out by paying up.
It is notoriously difficult to remove.

I guess the only solution is to stay away from shady websites.
I could remove it, I doubt I'll ever have to deal with it though.

reply to post by GmoS719

I could remove it, I doubt I'll ever have to deal with it though.

speaking in case of the german version called "BKA trojaner" - it was EVERYWHERE, it was soo popular that every 1-2 months they warned about it in nearly every news channel, news paper and consumer-show...

bka-trojaner.de... here are pics of some versions...

Originally posted by Hessdalen
reply to post by GmoS719

 

I could remove it, I doubt I'll ever have to deal with it though.

speaking in case of the german version called "BKA trojaner" - it was EVERYWHERE, it was soo popular that every 1-2 months they warned about it in nearly every news channel, news paper and consumer-show...

I run linux, I don't have to worry about it.
I have a pretty solid firewall.

reply to post by GmoS719


ok got me but linux is only for neckbeards and super 1337 people so you're obviously not the main target of it but you may still got it but its not working anyway, good for you =)

Originally posted by Hessdalen
reply to post by GmoS719

 

ok got me

but linux is only for neckbeards and super 1337 people so you're not the main target of it =)

HAHA
I'm neither of those.
The linux I run is simple.

reply to post by GmoS719

thats a hoax, a simple linux does not exist...as far as simple means you can play Diablo III and stuff without any knowledge about linux

but anyway, like always:

linux 1 : windows 0

This is about the shadiest website I ever visit anymore, and I am not trying to imply there is anything shady about ATS.

Still -- avoiding downloads, except from trusted sources, a good firewall, and active AV / anti-malware is mandatory if running windows. Running OSX makes you a smaller target, running Linux makes you a tiny target.

Last resorts? A low level format works wonders, and in the age of cloud-backups, is cheap in both time and resources.

Originally posted by Hessdalen
reply to post by GmoS719

 

thats a hoax, a simple linux does not exist...as far as simple means you can play Diablo III and stuff without any knowledge about linux

but anyway, like always:

linux 1 : windows 0

edit on 4-6-2012 by Hessdalen because: mindcontrol

I can be playing diablo III right now?!
No but seriously, I only have to use the terminal ( command prompt for windows ) rarely.
Now about that diablo III...

No, my computer is a dinosaur, I have squirrels running on wheels chasing nuts to keep it going.

With ransomware (now I know what it's called) it's not just the fear of the govt -- it's the simple fact that your computer won't do ANYTHING until you pay the ransom.

A lot of ransomware operates as "scareware" -- you'd suddenly get a full screen on your computer announcing that some sort of virus has been detected. It sometimes asks you to press a key to start a complete scan - and sometimes starts that "scan" without waiting for you to do anything (one reason not to be inattentive nor walk away from your monitor when you're in an unfamiliar website); that pretended scan is preprogrammed animation but while it's happening the website is loading its ransomware virus into your computer. It then claims to have found a bazillion viruses AND the only remedy is to buy such-and-such antimalware program immediately - and they mean immediately because your computer won't budge until you feed in your credit card number.

Of course, there's no way to track down these villains (I had heard that FBI cybertracking sort of led them to one of the former USSR republics, where the local police may well be getting a share of the loot. Once they have your credit card number there's no assurance that they will limit their take to the $20 or whatever price they claimed for their remedy. Of course, there's no real antimalware program - there's not even any assurance you'll get back control of your computer.

With this "child porn" ransomware. I wouldn't even be surprised if the villains created a fake child porn website - probably not even bothering with any porn but just the words that will get a search engine's attention if fed whatever words can used to find illegal child porn websites. Someone seeking kiddie porn clicks to that URL and gets this ransonware infection instead. Who's he going to complain to? He wouldn't dare tell the FBI or the FTC or any other law enforcement agency "I was searching for kiddie porn" -- he probably wouldn't even tell that to a computer repair service -- so he's going to be a most cooperative victim.

MALWAREBYTES has a free antimalware program that is considered Very Effective against such malware, but the simple fact is that everytime someone builds a better rattrap the rats try to build a more complex rat.

Originally posted by GmoS719

Originally posted by BrianDamage

Originally posted by GmoS719
Hopefully most people would realize that you have to actually be prosecuted before you pay a fine and it will never be via a message on your computer screen.
To think people actually fall for this is crazy.

Most people do realise this, the problem is, you can't use your PC/laptop online untill you get it sorted.
As soon as you open your browser the screen is taken up with the notificaton of the so called violation and how to sort it out by paying up.
It is notoriously difficult to remove.

I guess the only solution is to stay away from shady websites.
I could remove it, I doubt I'll ever have to deal with it though.

What are you trying to imply?

Originally posted by BrianDamage

Originally posted by GmoS719

Originally posted by BrianDamage

Originally posted by GmoS719
Hopefully most people would realize that you have to actually be prosecuted before you pay a fine and it will never be via a message on your computer screen.
To think people actually fall for this is crazy.

Most people do realise this, the problem is, you can't use your PC/laptop online untill you get it sorted.
As soon as you open your browser the screen is taken up with the notificaton of the so called violation and how to sort it out by paying up.
It is notoriously difficult to remove.

I guess the only solution is to stay away from shady websites.
I could remove it, I doubt I'll ever have to deal with it though.

What are you trying to imply?

To not go to shady websites?
and that I don't have any reason to worry?
what do you think I'm implying?

Originally posted by SprocketUK
Open source, baby!

To all those saying Linux is tough I salute you, with 2 fingers.
My kids use ubuntu, so does my mum who's as computer literate as my cat.

I've been running one flavour or another of Linux since I had a 486.
I'm not 1337 I just find it less of a pain in the neck than windoze. My Mrs has a laptop with xp, damn things always going belly up.

Make the jump, folks. You don't need Microsoft.

I agree,
It started with ubuntu and I haven't even thought about going back to windows.
Except for netflix lol.

Originally posted by GmoS719

Originally posted by BrianDamage

Originally posted by GmoS719

Originally posted by BrianDamage

Originally posted by GmoS719
Hopefully most people would realize that you have to actually be prosecuted before you pay a fine and it will never be via a message on your computer screen.
To think people actually fall for this is crazy.

Most people do realise this, the problem is, you can't use your PC/laptop online untill you get it sorted.
As soon as you open your browser the screen is taken up with the notificaton of the so called violation and how to sort it out by paying up.
It is notoriously difficult to remove.

I guess the only solution is to stay away from shady websites.
I could remove it, I doubt I'll ever have to deal with it though.

What are you trying to imply?

To not go to shady websites?
and that I don't have any reason to worry?
what do you think I'm implying?

Were you not trying to imply that was going on kiddy fiddler sites?