An easy-to-write hack could leave computer users locked out of their own files. The scam, discovered by San Diego security firm WebSense when one of its clients was attacked, encrypts files on infected computers and then seeks a ransom to unlock them. It is not the first time security experts have seen “ransom-ware,” but it is also unlikely that it is the last time. When TechNewsWorld asked if he thought the problem would grow, Joe Stewart, researcher at Lurhq, a security firm, said: “Yes, I think it will.”
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New Hack Seeks Ransom for Unlocking Files on Infected PCs
Posted by: Susan B. Shor May 24, 2005 10:39 AMAn easy-to-write hack could leave computer users locked out of their own files. The scam, discovered by San Diego security firm WebSense when one of its clients was attacked, encrypts files on infected computers and then seeks a ransom to unlock them. It is not the first time security experts have seen “ransom-ware,” but it is also unlikely that it is the last time. When TechNewsWorld asked if he thought the problem would grow, Joe Stewart, researcher at Lurhq, a security firm, said: “Yes, I think it will.”