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Held ransom by malicious spyware? Just pay up, FBI says

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posted on Oct, 28 2015 @ 03:39 AM
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a reply to: Navieko

very interesting Cyptowall

yeah I will admit the fake FBI page lockout screen scared my father but was an easy fix. Reading up on this ransom ware is interesting you have to have data backups or no chance of ever recovering files.

I want to run this virus on vmware. Ps my method would still work and you still would have your files lol however you would probably want to delete the virtual machine OS after a nasty virus like that



posted on Oct, 28 2015 @ 04:08 AM
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originally posted by: Informer1958
a reply to: trollz

I had this happened to me about a year ago. I was completely lock out of my computer, did the CTRL+ALT+DELETE nothing happened.

I couldn't shut down the computer. I had to turn off the power to shut down the computer then I rebooted and was back to the lockout screen.

The Malware virus had a message for me to pay them to unlock my computer, of course I did not comply to their demand.

The next day I brought my computer to Best-buy and told them to wipe out the hard drive and formatted it, partition it, and install windows.

Yes it cost my $100.00, however I was not going to let Malware extort money from me. What they are doing is illegal and the FBI turns a blind eye.

I have bought two virus programs and one of them is strictly for Malware, updated every week and I have no more problems.


With me the one time my computer netbook had been infected with a variant of what you described with the added bonus of it activating the web cam with the message that I was been recorded by FBI (had the fancy logos and serious worded warning speel). I just reinstalled the windows 7 and it solved the problem.



posted on Oct, 28 2015 @ 05:04 AM
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a reply to: Navieko

Just reaffirming everything you mentioned. Cryptowall infections are not a simple ctrl-alt-delete thing close the offending program to fix. That's kinder level stuff (also like a F8 safe boot, clean-up) compared to how insidious these infections are. It's pretty much the perfect form of computer extortion, and sure, if you have say 500 years or so spare with a beast PC brute force cracking the code, you may fluke it.

But the cold hard reality is unless you keep a backup, the FBI is quite correct in that your best way out if the data is crucial to you is to pay-up. Sad reality, and yeah I know what it's like to explain that to a customer. Makes us PC repairers look useless, which is not a nice feeling. Sucks when you just can't help a customer with a better outcome, apart from a fresh install and starting from scratch.
edit on 28-10-2015 by Qumulys because: (no reason given)



posted on Oct, 28 2015 @ 05:37 AM
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My father in law caught this bug. Had to restore from an earlier restore point to get rid of it.

Not sayin nuttin on how he got it.



posted on Oct, 28 2015 @ 06:04 AM
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a reply to: Bybyots

I am technologically challenged so I would have problems but have an IT dept for just that reason.



posted on Oct, 28 2015 @ 06:13 AM
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a reply to: trollz

If the devious piece of code you refer to is Cryptowall 2.0 your screwed. I lost 15+Gb of pictures and video a few months back. There is no other effective way to decrypt your files short of paying the $1000/equivalent bitcoins and getting a key. Fact is our Sun will burn out before our current technology can brute force the encryption.
edit on 28-10-2015 by andy06shake because: (no reason given)



posted on Oct, 28 2015 @ 06:14 AM
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This happened on my android phone. I went looking for regular porn and it claimed to catch me on viewing illegal beastiality, as it last second linked me to a wacky site links page. Then it snapped photos on the front and back cameras while I was in action, copied my contact list, claimed to contact the authorities, and hijacked my phone. Said I had to pay else would be shamed sending screens hots of the last link viewed and camera photos to all my contacts within 48hrs.

I thought it was clever, but wasn't stunned. Took a going into bios and factory resetting to make sure it was gone. Connected to cloud and had my files and contacts back up in a few minutes. No harm, no foul!



posted on Oct, 28 2015 @ 08:00 AM
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a reply to: Kandinsky


The FBI guy was referring to the more recent editions of ransomware. These are serious pieces of kit that are currently unbreakable in terms of recovering files.

Exactly. There are several versions of these scams. I get calls from people who let their brother, sister, cousin, best friends friend "work" on it. and they only make things worse. Everybody's an expert these days.
Tewksbury police pay bitcoin ransom to hackers
If you get the version that encrypts your personal files, you have two choices. Pay, or wipe the drive. Although I did get lucky once, and did a system restore back a few days, from a Windows CD, and circumvented it. But you won't get that lucky with the latest version.



posted on Oct, 28 2015 @ 08:01 AM
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I'm shocked that no one else has said this yet, what if this is just a new funding technique by the fbi or other alphabet agency?

We all know that hackers are employed by the feds under the guise of either security or threat detection services. Is it so unimaginable that they could use these resources to create this virus to help fund off book ops?

Well if I end up with the virus now we will know. It is an interesting theory but who knows other than the perps behind it.



posted on Oct, 28 2015 @ 08:07 AM
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Having two Operating system is alway's handy. I don't like windows, but I alway's keep it. For two main reasons: -First, if I have problem with Linux... And it will happen! (Same if I worked with windows)
-Second, videogames and drivers update. Yep, saddly many compagnies like HP only give update (ex: for bios) on windows operating system. And some great videogame compagnies love status co. Even if windows make them pay for it.



posted on Oct, 28 2015 @ 09:01 AM
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a reply to: trollz

It is not the FBI....it ransomeware using an official logo.Folks have paid these hackers by money card or store card because....they are NOT the FBI....and it won't turn back on if one is stupid enough to pay.

We have discussed this here many times.... buy a SATA cord, remove hard drive, plug USB Data in, view your files and save to an external drive. It works.

You OS has been hijacked not your files....they can be retrieved the above way.

And pay NO $$$$$$$....and or call your local FBI.We did.....
edit on 28-10-2015 by mysterioustranger because: (no reason given)



posted on Oct, 28 2015 @ 10:11 AM
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Seriously!? Payup?!
OK I'll payup as long as you(FBI) track where my money is going, and get the bastards when they try to collect. Western Union has a fraud department, and is capable of putting tracking information to notify Authorities upon collection, so there is no way that we should just let it slide. Lazy bastards, that is what we pay you for! We "Payed Up" in advance.



posted on Oct, 28 2015 @ 10:25 AM
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Unfortunately, it takes losing a big chunk of data to teach most people how important back-ups are. I know. I learned that one the hard way.

There is a simple and inexpensive solution to this problem. Install a hot-swap hard drive bay. Mirror your system to a separate hard drive. If something happens, just switch hard drives and continue. If you are diligent in keeping your spare up to date you stand to lose very little of importance.

I know the maintenance is drudgery and roughly equates to household chores, but it can save you a lot of headaches and heartaches, and most importantly, money.



posted on Oct, 28 2015 @ 10:26 AM
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a reply to: trollz

Best protection is to run a linux distro within a virtualised enviroment like vmware on top of your windows computer to browse the internet and perform none trusted tasks.

You could also do a windows distro instead of linux aswell.

The advantage of virtual system is you can make a complete copy of the os by copying two files and also isolate your work environment from the virtual envirent. So if it gets corrupte copy two files over re install the virtual os all the while your true os and files are untouched. Assuming you dont share directories from the two os.



posted on Oct, 28 2015 @ 10:48 AM
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a reply to: mysterioustranger

The virus I had, Crytowall 2.0 encrypts your files on all hard drives then deletes even the shadow copys. So no its not just the OS that's targeted its everything, even externals.



posted on Oct, 28 2015 @ 11:02 AM
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a reply to: andy06shake

It won't encrypt files in the cloud! ... but I guess if people fear that, then they'll just have to lose their files. The easy offline way is to make a habit to back files on an external, then disconnect it thereafter. The more advanced way would be setup a cronjob or hack initd to rsync them remotely to a vps.
edit on 28-10-2015 by pl3bscheese because: (no reason given)



posted on Oct, 28 2015 @ 11:58 AM
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Never heard of it but reading this now it becomes fairly interesting.

But that's a rather strange statement from FBI.

Considering they cannot decrypt the files nor can they find out exactly where the bit coins go they can find:
1) Where the user got infected
2) Where the decryption key is dispatched from

Nab the guy, have a ball, have him pay out his life's earnings.



posted on Oct, 28 2015 @ 12:04 PM
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I have two pc's.

One that's running on the internet. This is the one I use to exchange data and download.

One that's NOT connected to internet except once a week to update OS and antivirus. That's the one I use to store data and work my programs from. Has no Java or other crapware.

To get data from one to the other I use USBdrives.



posted on Oct, 28 2015 @ 12:07 PM
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How to remove ransomware programs:

-Boot up PC as normal.
-When you are logged in and ransomeware pops up, press ctrl+shift+esc. If that does nothing, then try ctrl+alt+del
-You should now be back at your desktop. Use the taskmanager to close the malicious application
-Immediately download a PC malicious program cleaner (anti-virus, anti-malware, etc). I STRONGLY suggest Malwarebytes.

If you are unable to boot up your PC as normal, or opening the task manager as instructed:

-Shut down your PC by holding down the power button.
-Reboot
-When prompted, start in safe mode with or without networking.
-Immediately download a PC malicious program cleaner (anti-virus, anti-malware, etc). I STRONGLY suggest Malwarebytes.
-If anything, download the software from another PC and add the installer to a USB.


This worked on my friends PC who had the whole FBI ransomeware. It's easy to remove.

Steps to prevent you getting infected by anything at all:
- Have anti-virus and such scanners on your PC. (I suggest Malwarebytes and Windows Defender/Security Essentials).






Edit:

If on a web browser, simply use task manager to close the web browser.

Usually these websites have a pop up each time you try to close the tab or browser via the usual x button. The pop up prevents you from leaving. I don't know about other browsers, but on chrome, you will get a checkbox that specifies whether you permit the site to be able to send you these pop ups again.
edit on 28-10-2015 by Kuroodo because: (no reason given)



posted on Oct, 28 2015 @ 12:14 PM
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originally posted by: Bybyots
Would it be too much to ask for which members it would be a hardship to immediately change out their OS in the case of attack by ransomware?

I mean, it would be interesting to get a rough idea of how many folks reading this would feel totally stuck.

BTW this question comes from a place of compassion, not ridicule.

Thanks In Advance,



no hardship here, I've done reloads of OS's so many times, that now it's just an annoyance....because your info on your device CAN NEVER be completely safe, don't use it for anything that would hurt you, if someone had your info.....




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