Snopes tested and approved. Theres a whole new type of computer malware (bad stuff) going around, called ransomware. Its more important than ever to never open attachments unless you know what they are and who theyre from. No, CryptoLocker doesnt delete your hard drive, but it does encrypt every single one of your files so you cant open them, and you have to pay a hefty ransom to decrypt them. This just surfaced at the end of September so most people dont know about it. I didnt, and Im pretty computer savvy. Honestly, this is pretty scary shit. The CryptoLocker worm is generally spread via drive-by downloads or as an attachment to phony e-mails disguised as legitimate messages from various business, such as fake FedEx and UPS tracking notifications. When a user opens such a message, CryptoLocker installs itself on the users system, scans the hard drive, and encrypts certain file types, such as images, documents and spreadsheets. CryptoLocker then launches a window displaying a demand for ransom (to be paid in less-traceable forms such as Bitcoins and Green Dot Moneypaks) and a countdown timer showing the date and time before which the user must submit payment in order to obtain the decryption key before it is destroyed.
Posted on: Fri, 15 Nov 2013 03:08:18 +0000
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