2 Alerts - Organised crime, malware, and Ransomed files.
#1. Alert - Organised crime and malware on your PC.
#2. UPDATE. 2nd Alert (Today) - Malware Trojan digitally encrypts files and asks for a ransom.
----------------------------------------------
#1. Alert - Organised crime and malware on your PC.
Stealth virus warning sounded again.
Virus authors are choosing not to create global epidemics--such as Melissa or Blaster--because that distracts them from their core business of creating and selling botnets, according to antivirus experts.
Instead of trying to create viruses and worms that infect as many computers as possible, malware authors are instead trying to infect 5,000 or 10,000 computers at a time to create personalized zombie armies.
To view this ALERT online, use the following link:
http://news.zdnet.com/2100-1009_22-5719765.html?tag=nl.e589
(You may need to copy and paste this link if you're using hotmail, msn, aol or some other mail services.)
----------------------------------------------
#2. UPDATE. 2nd Alert (Today) - Malware Trojan digitally encrypts files and asks for a ransom.
This alert was received from PANDASOFTWARE.COM
http://www.pandasoftware.com
PandaLabs has recently reported the appearance of a type of malware that encrypts files on the infected computer and then asks for a fee in order to release these files. This is a new type
of behavior, rarely seen until now, and to which the FBI in the United States are now alert.
The malware in question, Trj.PGPCoder.A, is a Trojan, and as is usual in these cases, cannot propagate by itself. Once installed on a computer, it creates two registry keys: one to ensure it is run on every system startup, and the second to monitor the progress of the Trojan in the infected computer, counting the number of files that have been analyzed by the malicious code.
Once it has been run, the Trojan embarks on its mission, which is to encrypt, using a digital encryption key, all the files it finds on computer drives with extensions corresponding to those listed in its code. These extensions include DOC (Microsoft Word documents), HTML (web pages), JPG (images), XLS (Microsoft Excel spreadsheets), ZIP and RAR (two common compressed file formats).
The blackmail is completed with the Trojan dropping a text file in each directory, with instructions to the victim of what to do. An email address is supplied through which users are supposed to request for their files to be released after paying a ransom of $200.
To prevent infection from Trj.PGPCoder.A or other malicious code, Panda Software advises all users to keep their antivirus software up-to-date.
To view this ALERT online, use the following link:
http://www.pandasoftware.com/virus_info/encyclopedia/overview.aspx?IdVirus=75489&sind=0
(You may need to copy and paste this link if you're using hotmail, msn, aol or some other mail services.)
=============================================
Alh Webmaster: CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING TO HAVE ACCESS TO VITAL FILES IN AN EMERGENCY.
This will "STICK-IT" TO ANY HAIRBALL TRYING TO GET YOU TO PAY A RANSOM. Paying ransom is no obligation to them to release your property!
1. Send vital files to a "Special secret e-mail address". These files should be vital files ONLY. If this mail account has encryption, so much the better.
2. Keep copies of vital files on an old "extra" off-line computer (from a yard/garage sale, PC repair shop, pawn shop, secondhand store, or where-ever) with the phone connection plugged or broken (to prevent any attempt to go online). With no online capability the PC is rendered safe from malware, spyware and virus attacks.
3. If you have a website, keep copies of important, NOT VITAL files on the site under password protection.
VITAL files: Any files with account information, usernames & passwords. Also any files that cannot be easily replaced.
IMPORTANT files: Files that contain important information to you, but worthless to others.
=============================================
Our Alh Webmaster Alerts Archive has Alerts, Recalls and Warnings and can be viewed at:
http://alh1.blogdrive.com/
You can POST YOUR ALERTS on our site. If you have an alert to post online, visit our Post Alerts site at:
http://www.the-alh.com/postalts.htm Or at:
http://alh-alerts.blogdrive.com/
Send this e-mail to family, friends and associates.
Please forward this e-mail to your family, friends and associates. If you received this from someone and wish to subscribe to our FREE e-mail Alert service, please use the following link:
http://www.the-alh.com/#Our
Our FREE e-mail Alert mailing-list subscription service is totally confidential. We DO NOT pass your e-mail address on (in any way, shape or form) to anyone else.
Also, we DO NOT endorse any products or services and we DO NOT work in conjunction with any marketing agencies (direct or otherwise) of any kind. However, sometimes we do suggest (and occaissionally recomend) a product or service we have either worked with or believe would be in your best interest.
If any marketer contacts you claiming that we sent them to you, forward their entire e-mail (with full headers) As Soon As Possible to: A0-3@alh_webmaster.mailshell.com (so we can retailiate [pay-um-back])
