Web security software firmPandahas spotted a new
"ransomware" strain that is threatening
to fleece internet users.
The company's Panda Labs has uncovered the Sinowal.FY threat,
which is malicious code that encrypts users' files so that they
cannot access them.
The malware then demands a £150 ransom for giving them a tool to
decrypt the files, as well as the decryption key.
When Sinowal.FY installs on the system, it encrypts every single
document on the hard disk and creates a file called "read_me.txt"
with the kidnapper's demands.
Luis Corrons, technical director at Panda Labs, said, "This
Trojan threat belongs to the Synowal family, traditionally used to
steal passwords and banking details.
"This variant, however, not only does that, but blackmails users
by encrypting their data so that they cannot access it. This is an
example of how malware creators are trying to get as much benefit
as possible from a single malware creation," he said.
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