Author Archives: Sarah Stewart - Page 77

CryptoWire Ransomware is the so-called educational ransomware infection which can be downloaded by anyone from github.com. Even though it seems to be developed for educational purposes primarily, it has been found that it can be used to create other file-encrypting threats by cyber criminals too. For example, specialists have already discovered a new ransomware infection called Lomix Ransomware which is created on the basis of the engine belonging to CryptoWire Ransomware. Cyber criminals might start creating other similar threats using the code of the original infection compiled with the AutoIt scripting language, so users have to be as cautious as they have never been before. The main focus of this article is CryptoWire Ransomware and its removal. If you know what to expect from this threat, you will know how other infections based on its engine are going to work. You will find information regarding the CryptoWire Ransomware removal provided in this article too. This knowledge might be useful if you ever encounter the original threat CryptoWire Ransomware or other similar infections based on it. Read more »

VindowsLocker Ransomware is another file-encrypting infection that has been developed by cyber criminals. According to specialists at anti-spyware-101.com, this threat has, most probably, been developed by amateurs judging from its overall quality, so it might be very true that it will not become very prevalent. Of course, it does not mean that it is not dangerous. Specialists say that this infection might become your worst nightmare because it is capable of encrypting users’ personal data. Unlike other ransomware infections we have covered recently, it does not ask users to send a certain amount of money in Bitcoins for getting those files back. Instead, it asks them to contact the “Microsoft support technician” by dialing the telephone number 1-844-609-3192. Even though the Microsoft name is used in the ransom note VindowsLocker Ransomware opens on Desktop, this corporation has nothing to do with this threat. Therefore, there is no point in dialing the provided telephone number either. What users should do instead of trying to reach the so-called technicians is to delete VindowsLocker Ransomware fully from the system. Since this process will not be very easy, we suggest reading this article carefully. Read more »

Researchers have recently detected a very interesting ransomware infection. It is called Karma Ransomware. Unlike other similar threats that used to be quite prevalent (e.g. Cerber Ransomware and Locky Ransomware), it pretends to be a Windows optimization application Windows-TuneUp. Since it tries to convince users that it is a beneficial program for cleaning the computer and boosting its performance, it has a very convincing interface. Even though it does not differ much from legitimate applications the way it looks, users notice quickly that it does not work. It only keeps showing a pop-up window saying “This feature will be available soon in the next update” when users try to enable any of its options. Karma Ransomware displays an interface of Windows-TuneUp not without reason. Once it is opened, it starts encrypting files stored on the computer silently. It does that using AES, which is known to be one of the strongest encryption algorithms, so that it would be very hard or even impossible to unlock those files without the special key. Fortunately, the C&C servers of Karma Ransomware are down at the time of writing, so it is very likely that it does not work anymore and will not affect more users; however, if this threat has already encrypted your files, you should go to delete it from your system as soon as possible. Paying money to cyber criminals is not encouraged. Read more »

Click Me Ransomware is a computer infection that can encrypt personal files it finds stored on the computer. Even though it does not lock files these days, it might be fixed in the future and start doing that. Therefore, users who will read this article in the future might find slightly inaccurate information in this article. No matter you encounter a version that encrypts files or not, it will open a window with a fake game once it enters the computer. This is a silly game in which users have to catch a moving button Click Me and click on it. As it is clear now, Click Me Ransomware should be encrypting files it finds stored on the computer at that particular moment. Even though we have tested a version that does not encrypt files, there is no doubt that it has been developed to extort money from users by cyber criminals. Therefore, it would be best that you erase Click Me Ransomware from your computer no matter it has locked your files or not. If you have a version that does not work properly installed on your PC but make a decision not to do anything, you should know that you risk losing all your files in the future because they might all be encrypted after the update of the ransomware infection. Read more »