namelesstavern.net

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2005-06/ns-puo060105.php

Pay up or the PC gets it
Extortion, one of the oldest crimes in the book, has taken on an alarming technological twist. The FBI is warning that computer-savvy criminals have designed a virus that encrypts documents stored on a PC until the owner pays a ransom to unlock them. While the virus has so far only used weak encryption that is easily overcome, the fear is that it could be made tougher and start demanding large sums of money.
The virus searches a victim's hard drive and encrypts any text-based documents it finds there. The existing version then displays a ransom note that demands $200 for supplying the software that will decode the encrypted data so that it can be read again.

The novel attack exploits encryption technology originally designed to protect data, not kidnap it. To add insult to injury, it stores the kidnapped data in front of the victim's eyes, on their own personal computer.

The virus was discovered last week by the web-filtering company Websense of San Diego, California, when one of its clients' computers became infected. The malicious code is designed to take advantage of a vulnerability in the victim's web browser to download itself onto their hard drive.
cont...

yeah this one is gonna be a fun one to work on...can you imagine if the program gets updated to maybe encrypt quickbooks files?

Genius you must admit...

stop using windows... problem solved.

Diekan wrote:stop using windows... problem solved.

Actually no. Encryption is not OS specific. Nor are virii. All it takes is a little know-how and/or some social engineering to bypass any security regardless of OS.

horendus wrote:

Diekan wrote:stop using windows... problem solved.

Actually no. Encryption is not OS specific. Nor are virii. All it takes is a little know-how and/or some social engineering to bypass any security regardless of OS.

Um, is the virus we're discussing a Windows virus? Then yes, not using Windows solves the problem. Not all problems, but this one. Also, don't use Outlook or IE if you're forced to use Windows.

Me, I read mail usng Mutt on FreeBSD. Problem solved.

--R.

Genius in some regards yes, but dumb considering the place where the payments go to will eventually be tracked.

horendus wrote:

Diekan wrote:stop using windows... problem solved.

Actually no. Encryption is not OS specific. Nor are virii. All it takes is a little know-how and/or some social engineering to bypass any security regardless of OS.

Actually, take some time to learn about other OS's and you'll see that... nm... trying to explain it would take to much time.

It's virtually impossible to get a virus in Linux unless you install it yourself. If you use it, then you'll understand why.

Don't lecture me on use of Linux or other OSs. I've been a linux user since early to mid 90s. Thnx. I run a redhat box, Qtopia OS on my handheld, and slack on my laptop.

And no, it's not virtually impossible. It's just not as easy.

Diekan wrote:It's virtually impossible to get a virus in Linux unless you install it yourself. If you use it, then you'll understand why.

Not entirely true, it just takes alot more knowhow. There are a fair number of root hackes out there that if your not protected against can nail you.

hello netcat

all it takes is someone that THINKS they know what they are doing on a linux box and BAM vulnerabilty waiting to happen.

<~~

I ran across a variation of Monkey that moved the boot sector and left a pointer to the new location, as long as you left the virus alone the system booted normally but if you removed it then your system couldnt find the boot sector anymore. I thought that was rather insidious. Hax0rs are eeeeviiilllll

Some of these peopel are actually really intelligent and gifted at what they do. To bad they decided to go down that road rather then actually using that knowlege in a useful manner.

though I guess they do surve a purpose. Think of all the security holes that have been patched because these people exploited them.

How many of these do you think were written in a lab only to be accidentally released?

very few, if I were writing a virus in a lab to test for security holes and such, there would be obvious messages in the virus to aid me, though it is definatly possible, and it could have just been the sence of humur of the programmers that causes them to put in the taunting messages and such.

this thread made me lol

I have no problems with virus writers. I don't condone it, but as mentioned - it does serve a purpose. It forces people to keep on top of things and constantly rewrite what has already been written. All in all - it leads to efficiency.

Rust wrote:

horendus wrote:

Diekan wrote:stop using windows... problem solved.

Actually no. Encryption is not OS specific. Nor are virii. All it takes is a little know-how and/or some social engineering to bypass any security regardless of OS.

Um, is the virus we're discussing a Windows virus? Then yes, not using Windows solves the problem. Not all problems, but this one. Also, don't use Outlook or IE if you're forced to use Windows.

Me, I read mail usng Mutt on FreeBSD. Problem solved.

--R.

Lets see...can you make all the games I run on Windows stable?

can you shit me a copy of Linux that preforms the same function as the XP64bit Professional running on mine?

Can you actually get all my peripherals that I use for security including my Microsoft Biometric reader?

I realize that the mantra shall now be pulled out for the almight "dual boot" option. Frankly I just dont think linux is worth it. The only reason someone would get this bug is if they are stupid enough not to use Antivirus, they actually open up attachments, and are dumb enough to leave preview pane on in outlook.

I like Linux I really do. but me switching to it is just a crazy at this point. Linux is not a perfect OS. If you remember right one of he first virus was written to penetrate the 4ESS switch points at AT&T. The 4ESS system was running a standard version of AIX. If enough people are on linux the hackers are gonna switch tactics and start building strains to attack Linux.

Tell you what guys...if you can get me up and running with all the key points I got without running dual boot Ill switch. But if you say dual boot is the only way then what is the point of me switching. Thats like trying to put a MAC partition on my computer to look at the Apple logo.

kaharthemad wrote:can you shit me a copy of Linux that preforms the same function as the XP64bit Professional running on mine?

For the most part I agree with you. There is no way I could do my job every day using Unix but there has been 64bit versions of it for 10+ years.

kaharthemad wrote:

Rust wrote:

horendus wrote:

Diekan wrote:stop using windows... problem solved.

Actually no. Encryption is not OS specific. Nor are virii. All it takes is a little know-how and/or some social engineering to bypass any security regardless of OS.

Um, is the virus we're discussing a Windows virus? Then yes, not using Windows solves the problem. Not all problems, but this one. Also, don't use Outlook or IE if you're forced to use Windows.

Me, I read mail usng Mutt on FreeBSD. Problem solved.

--R.

Lets see...can you make all the games I run on Windows stable?

can you shit me a copy of Linux that preforms the same function as the XP64bit Professional running on mine?

Can you actually get all my peripherals that I use for security including my Microsoft Biometric reader?

I realize that the mantra shall now be pulled out for the almight "dual boot" option. Frankly I just dont think linux is worth it. The only reason someone would get this bug is if they are stupid enough not to use Antivirus, they actually open up attachments, and are dumb enough to leave preview pane on in outlook.

I like Linux I really do. but me switching to it is just a crazy at this point. Linux is not a perfect OS. If you remember right one of he first virus was written to penetrate the 4ESS switch points at AT&T. The 4ESS system was running a standard version of AIX. If enough people are on linux the hackers are gonna switch tactics and start building strains to attack Linux.

Tell you what guys...if you can get me up and running with all the key points I got without running dual boot Ill switch. But if you say dual boot is the only way then what is the point of me switching. Thats like trying to put a MAC partition on my computer to look at the Apple logo.

can you make all the games I run on Windows stable?
For the most part yes, whether its running using linux binarys or through emulation, they will run just as well for the most part. Some will run beter in linux some will run beter in windows

can you shit me a copy of Linux that preforms the same function as the XP64bit Professional running on mine?
Linux has had 64bit versions out for a long time now (Summer of 94 you know when people were just gettin NT 3.5 and windows was just releasing its first support of 32bit).

Can you actually get all my peripherals that I use for security including my Microsoft Biometric reader?
My guess would be yes, of course not knowing exactly what you have, I could be wrong. I do seem to remember reading about linux support for Microsoft Biometric reader btw.

"for the most part gid" wont cut it unfortunately. I can not function from day to day in my job with out it. and If I were to tell...say my Cancer Treatment Clinic client that we were gonna drop their current exsisting system and put on linux and for the most part it should run their and be compatible with the Radiation treatment rooms, yeah that would go over about as good as suggesting to Vonk that he take Mindia as his boyfriend.

Like I said I like Unix or I would not have been a admin for 3 companies running Unix boxes like RS6000 or AS400's. There are things that UNIX can do that Windows cant do, but there are also things that I cant do atm on a unix box that can be done on windows. I predict LINUX will be functional to the point that we can use it day to day for alot of things within the next 2years. LINUX has made some great strides in the last few years with stability and compatibility. They are not there yet with ful compatibility...yet.