WARNING! PLEASE READ! I can't stress how important this is!

Discussion in 'Chatty Pad' started by zinzilah, Feb 27, 2015.

Page 1 of 2
  1. Feb 27, 2015 #1
    zinzilah

    zinzilah One step at a time

    Messages:
    9,636
    Joined:
    Sep 30, 2011
    If you are reading this, it means your computer is still Okay, let's keep it that way! Below is the message I asked my husband *a computer geek who works for Super Computing Centre to write down to warn MY friends, too. He is a genius, so if he is terrified, there is a good reason, and this is REAL, I didn't hear it in the street, this happened today to our personal friend, and my husband is still trying to save his files as we speak. (*the problem with the virus is that it will use the address book of the ones it infected, so it will look legit with attachment, though, so do be VERY VERY careful with what you click)!!! STAY safe.

    Warning : My neighbour received an email telling them their parcel had arrived but not been delivered, by unfortunate coincidence, they were actually waiting for a parcel and clicked on the attachment to open up the UPS tracking page to check on the state of their delivery. Sadly, they have now been infected with the torrentlocker virus and they get this message appearing (image below) [​IMG]
    Everything on their machine is now encrypted. Every doc, every image and unfortunately, all their accounting data for the company run from home. Payment to unlock is by bitcoin only and there is no known decryption (that I've found) for this variant without paying the ransom. The last backup was early December, so they will be losing a significant amount of data unless they pay. The payment page has a countdown timer of 72 hours and when it times out, the price for decryption rises. (currently about $500US in BTC).
    If it wasn't such a tragedy, it'd be quite awesome (by which I mean that I'm secretly impressed by this, but terrified of it happening to us!). To all my family, please backup stuff often and don't click on anything!
     
    Last edited: Feb 27, 2015
    zinzilah, Feb 27, 2015
    zinzilah, Feb 27, 2015
    #1
  2. Feb 27, 2015 #2
    Angie4b1g

    Angie4b1g A hundred jobs but Bob Villa ain't one

    Messages:
    8,139
    Joined:
    Feb 25, 2011
    OMG!!!!
     
    Angie4b1g, Feb 27, 2015
    Angie4b1g, Feb 27, 2015
    #2
  3. Feb 27, 2015 #3
    Dana

    Dana Dana

    Messages:
    5,787
    Joined:
    Mar 17, 2009
    yikes!
     
    Dana, Feb 27, 2015
    Dana, Feb 27, 2015
    #3
  4. Feb 27, 2015 #4
    Brandi

    Brandi You're so fine, you're so fine you blow my mind

    Messages:
    5,118
    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2009
    OMG!!!
     
    Brandi, Feb 27, 2015
    Brandi, Feb 27, 2015
    #4
  5. Feb 27, 2015 #5
    dvhoward

    dvhoward Don't bother me before 10am!

    Messages:
    8,231
    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2012
    Thanks for the heads up.
     
    dvhoward, Feb 27, 2015
    dvhoward, Feb 27, 2015
    #5
  6. Feb 27, 2015 #6
    NancyBeck

    NancyBeck Happy resident of Pollyville

    Messages:
    13,894
    Joined:
    Jan 26, 2014
    I've gotten that one before on multiple occasions, but didn't open it because I knew I was not expecting a package. It's so scary because they keep getting more clever all the time with their ruses!
     
    NancyBeck, Feb 27, 2015
    NancyBeck, Feb 27, 2015
    #6
  7. Feb 27, 2015 #7
    jaye

    jaye My other car is a Zamboni!

    Messages:
    3,905
    Joined:
    May 6, 2012
    I have as well Nancy and thankfully wasn't expecting a package so knew to delete it without opening.

    I get that these people are smart and can do amazing things with computers but wouldn't it be nice if they used their skill and talent for something good rather than harming regular people.
     
    jaye, Feb 27, 2015
    jaye, Feb 27, 2015
    #7
  8. Feb 27, 2015 #8
    lorryfach

    lorryfach Likes to be chauffeured

    Messages:
    11,533
    Joined:
    Jul 13, 2011
    If you are ever expecting a package, no shipping company will be sending you an attachment. If you get an email about the status of your delivery, don't click anything in the email. Just go to fedex/ups/dhl/whatever website by typing it in your web browser. If it's legit, you'll be able to see the status through the tracking number on their site. If there's no tracking number, then they aren't going to be emailing you anything anyway!
     
    lorryfach, Feb 27, 2015
    lorryfach, Feb 27, 2015
    #8
  9. Feb 27, 2015 #9
    jk703

    jk703 CEO of Anything and Everything, Everywhere

    Messages:
    13,435
    Joined:
    Sep 17, 2012
    Thank you for the warning!
     
    jk703, Feb 27, 2015
    jk703, Feb 27, 2015
    #9
  10. Feb 27, 2015 #10
    HeatherB

    HeatherB Ain't nothin wrong with a few dust bunnies!

    Messages:
    14,737
    Joined:
    Jun 2, 2010
    Thanks for the warning. What a horrible thing to happen. I happen to be waiting for a package to be delivered, and it could have easily been me receiving that cryptovirus. Yikes!

    Here's the info on it at snopes.com: http://www.snopes.com/computer/virus/cryptolocker.asp. They reinforce that there is no way to protect yourselves other than not clicking on suspicious (or not so suspicious) attachments. And no way to crack the encryption without paying the ransom.

    I guess your friend will have to pay up if they want their files back and hope that those criminals actually provide the decryption key.
     
    HeatherB, Feb 27, 2015
    HeatherB, Feb 27, 2015
    #10
  11. Feb 27, 2015 #11
    Tronesia

    Tronesia Tronesia

    Messages:
    2,795
    Joined:
    Oct 3, 2010
    Same thoughts I had. I get those emails a lot but they go straight to my junk mail. Never click emails links; it is always best to go to the site yourself.
     
    Tronesia, Feb 27, 2015
    Tronesia, Feb 27, 2015
    #11
  12. Feb 27, 2015 #12
    kelley

    kelley Gets excited over little green things.

    Messages:
    2,658
    Joined:
    Jan 25, 2012
    Wow, that is very scary :(
     
    kelley, Feb 27, 2015
    kelley, Feb 27, 2015
    #12
  13. Feb 28, 2015 #13
    Dutch_Diva

    Dutch_Diva The 80's called? Awesome!

    Messages:
    1,763
    Joined:
    Sep 29, 2012
    Disgusting that thugs have nothing better to do than ruin people's lives! Makes me angry!
     
    Dutch_Diva, Feb 28, 2015
    Dutch_Diva, Feb 28, 2015
    #13
  14. Feb 28, 2015 #14
    MrsPeel

    MrsPeel LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!

    Messages:
    23,857
    Joined:
    May 7, 2012
    It is sad that things like this happen...and that is easier for people to rob your life away from the computer than break into your house...

    but as the Snopes (the link above by HeatherB) says: paying this people will only make them continue to do it...if none pays, they may stop...

    The thing about the delivery packages is been around for a while (the last update on Snopes Cryptolocker is 2013 but I'm sure there was something since 2011)
    so I don't click in attachments no matter what....
    it is sad, and yes, makes us angry.... :(

    I would like to know if the infection comes all the way to an online back up-
    In the Snopes description it says if you are backing up and your back up device is connected to your computer at the time of the hack, those files will also get infected....

    Lorry? any thoughts?
     
    MrsPeel, Feb 28, 2015
    MrsPeel, Feb 28, 2015
    #14
  15. Feb 28, 2015 #15
    lorryfach

    lorryfach Likes to be chauffeured

    Messages:
    11,533
    Joined:
    Jul 13, 2011
    If you are using a service like CrashPlan, then you could wipe your hard drive, start completely over, and back up to a previous time before you got infected. If your back up only backs up the most recent stuff, then it would be encrypted too and you would not be able to get it back without paying.

    The CryptoLocker people do have a "good" reputation, as it were, of helping you get your stuff back if you pay. I'd rather give my money to CrashPlan, of course, but for those who are too late for that....
     
    lorryfach, Feb 28, 2015
    lorryfach, Feb 28, 2015
    #15
  16. Feb 28, 2015 #16
    MrsPeel

    MrsPeel LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!

    Messages:
    23,857
    Joined:
    May 7, 2012
    yes, I read about it, but reality is, people should learn to give their money to an online back up so there would be no need to pay these people up.... is like in any blackmail situation.....whilst there are people who pay...why are they going to stop?

    if people just refuse to pay...then there is no point for them to keep doing it....I know there are people who infect just for the sport of it....but giving money to people like this is just wrong.....
     
    MrsPeel, Feb 28, 2015
    MrsPeel, Feb 28, 2015
    #16
  17. Feb 28, 2015 #17
    lorryfach

    lorryfach Likes to be chauffeured

    Messages:
    11,533
    Joined:
    Jul 13, 2011
    I agree, it is wrong! Just one more reason we should all be investing in good, reliable backup!
     
    lorryfach, Feb 28, 2015
    lorryfach, Feb 28, 2015
    #17
  18. Feb 28, 2015 #18
    lmjrocko

    lmjrocko See that in my rear view mirror? That's Michigan!

    Messages:
    2,506
    Joined:
    May 6, 2011
    I make it a rule to never open an attachment from anyone. Too many people who I know have been hit. Not worth it.
     
    lmjrocko, Feb 28, 2015
    lmjrocko, Feb 28, 2015
    #18
  19. Mar 1, 2015 #19
    AmaG

    AmaG Born in the wrong decade

    Messages:
    2,354
    Joined:
    Apr 30, 2013
    Right? Wouldn't it be nice it people tried to better society than be greedy jerks?
     
    Last edited: Mar 1, 2015
    AmaG, Mar 1, 2015
    AmaG, Mar 1, 2015
    #19
  20. Mar 1, 2015 #20
    PLM

    PLM I know there's something in the wake of your smile

    Messages:
    5,047
    Joined:
    Jun 28, 2014
    Gosh, I have had some bad experiences in the past too.
    Luckily, I find my way around it, but I get cold sweat reading this stuff...
    Backing up on Crashplan in bits right now and I hope to have it all done in time before anything bad happens.

    Thanks for the update!
     
    PLM, Mar 1, 2015
    PLM, Mar 1, 2015
    #20
Page 1 of 2

Share This Page