Ransomware - Pay up or the world sees your porn habit!
If you have not heard about the Kenzero trojan, then sit back and let me tell you a tale that may keep you from sleeping tonight.
We’ve seen lots of malware which makes the user believe they have been infected and that they can pay X dollars to have their machine cleaned up. While very popular, these have nothing on Kenzero and the new breed of “ransomware” trojans that have been making the rounds.
Picture this, you install an application and it turns out to be the carrier for Kenzero. The trojan then uploads all your intimate information to the web for everyone to see. We’re talking about all that porn that you keep hidden away, your browsing history, and more. Then you are told to pay a “ransom” to have it removed from the public view! Fortunately, Kenzero is (currently) only loaded when you install a Japanese anime program that the average person is not going to install.
The important thing to keep in mind is that even though Kenzero is currently only a payload that is delivered via a specific means, there are likely criminals who will take a lesson from this and quickly create similar malware to be distributed via traditional channels, like attachments, links, exploited websites, etc. There are other variants of this theme such as the old Cryzip, which locks down your files and forces you to pay the ransom to get it back. And some that make the threat that they will delete everything, if you don’t send money.
I’m sure this is not going away, and I am also certain that after reading this, you will want to insure your computer is up to date with all OS patches, and that your anti-virus is current.
If you are using questionable anti-virus for your home or business, please consider Trend Micro Internet Security or Trend Micro Worry Free Business Security. Call us today for a free consultation and ask about a free evaluation of these great products. We offer computer, server & network support in Greenville & Upstate SC, as well as full virus service such as cleanup, removal and prevention. 864.990.4748 or info@homelandsecureit.com