Web Hackers Hold Files Hostage

Your money or your files!

Security researchers at San Diego-based Websense Inc. uncovered the unusual extortion plot when a corporate customer they would not identify fell victim to the infection, which encrypted files that included documents, photographs and spreadsheets.

A ransom note left behind included an e-mail address, and the attacker using the address later demanded $200 for the digital keys to unlock the files.

[Via: CNN]

I’m actually surprised this didn’t happen before.
I guess it was just easier to take the money directly instead of asking for it.
Something like this means hackers are running out of ways to steal money directly, which is more or less good news.

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Mohamed Marwen Meddah

Mohamed Marwen Meddah is a Tunisian-Canadian, web aficionado, software engineering leader, blogger, and amateur photographer.