Internet users are being targeted by a new breed of ransom
threat, which uses nuisance advertising that can only be removed if
the user pays up.
Symantec Security
Response has reported an evolution in the technology used by
fraudsters, with the discovery of
Trojan.Ransompage, a nuisance tactic that is deployed by rogue
anti-virus programs in an attempt to extract a ransom from its
victims.
Once infected with the trojan, the victim's browser will display
a persistent advertisement on every web page visited by the user of
the infected computer. The advert remains on the page as the victim
scrolls down, Symantec said.
"The ad is written in Russian and states that in order to remove
the ad, the victim must send a premium rate text message to the
number provided and the user will receive a code to remove the ad.
The premise is that the victim will become so frustrated or
embarrassed by the ad that they will succumb to the pressure and
send an SMS to the premium rate telephone number, from which the
cybercriminals make money," Symantec warned.