Cybercriminals are now targeting people who visit porn sites by locking down the viewer’s computer and demanding money in exchange for obtaining use of the machine and the data it contains.
Ransomware is not new, but it is predicted to spread in the new year, according to a Vancouver Sun article.
According to software security maker Symantec Corp.’s security response director Kevin Haley, the cybercriminals pretend to be the police to scare porn viewers into cooperating, the Sun report indicated.
“The scam is usually, ‘Hey we see that you have pornography on your machine and we’re the police and you’re going to jail for it” unless you pay a fine or “ransom,” Haley was quoted by the Sun.
Victims are told to purchase a prepaid card and enter the card’s PIN number on the computer keyboard’s numeric pad, which is often the only part of the computer the hackers have not locked down, Haley told the Sun.
While porn sites are being specifically targeted, other sites are also being used to attack anyone from businesses and organizations to individuals. In most cases, Haley said, victims do not get their data back.
Computers are not the only devices at risk either. Smartphones will also be targeted in 2013.
The FBI has issued a handful of warnings this fall about various forms of malware that are on the loose.
The Internet Crime Complaint Centre (IC3), an arm of the FBI, is warning computer and Smartphone users alike of the dating extortion scam, which lures individuals into intimate online conversations and then extorts money from them.
The victims would meet someone online via a dating site and were then asked to connect to a specific social network where the conversations become sexual in nature.
“Later, victims received text messages, either containing their names, asking if it was them or containing a statement that indicated their names were posted on a particular website,” IC3 said in a press release.
“The victims were provided a link to a page on the website that claimed they were a “cheater.” Photos of the victims and their telephone numbers were also posted.”
Victims are the given the option to view and buy the posted conversations for $9 or to have their names and conversations removed for $99. The information is never removed, however.
Payday loan scams have also evolved from telephone calls to receiving official-looking e-mails supposedly from the United States Attorney.
“The e-mails reference the FBI, court proceedings, and serious allegations,” IC3 says. “Allegations include violation of federal banking regulations such as collateral check fraud, theft by deception, and fraudulently conducting electronic fund transfers. Recipients were instructed to contact the subject within 48 hours of receiving the e-mail.”
Another cyber threat is Loozfon, which steals information from users, and FinFisher, which can give hackers control over a user’s device. Both are targeting the Android mobile operating system, the IC3 says.
The FBI offers the following safety tips to protect your mobile device:
- When buying a Smartphone, learn the features of the device, including the default settings. Turn off features that are not needed to lessen the risk of attack.
- Some phone operating systems have encryption available. Use it to protect personal data in the case of loss or theft.
- Users should read reviews of app developers before buying an application.
- Review and understand the permissions you are giving when you download applications.
- Passcode protect your cellphone and enable the screen lock feature after a few minutes of inactivity.
- Purchase malware protection for your device. Use applications that specialize in antivirus or file integrity to help guard your device from rogue applications and malware.
- Be aware of applications that enable Geo-location because the app will track the user’s location anywhere. Criminals such as a stalker or burglar can use this app.
- Anytime a user, application or service runs in “unrestricted” or “system” level within an operating system, any compromise can take full control of the phone.
- Do not connect to unknown wireless networks that can be rogue access points that steal information passed between your device and a legitimate server.
- If you sell or trade your device, be sure to wipe the device clean by resetting it to factory default. This avoids leaving personal data on the device.
- Keep current with updates to run applications and firmware. If users neglect this it increases the risk of having their device hacked or compromised.
- Do not click on or download software or links from unknown sources.
- Use the same precautions on your mobile phone as you would on your computer when using the Internet.
Post from: SiteProNews
Hackers to Use Porn Sites for Ransomeware Schemes, FBI Warns of Online Dating Scam
