This sounds like a job for Black Ops... IMO. People like this need to be squashed like bugs.
 
J

Thanks for that link, arachnaut. Lots of good information there.
 
I see that it attacks all sorts of data files, including Word documents and Excel spreadsheets. Even SQL Server data files, although I'd expect those to be a hard target since the server opens those files exclusively and I'd expect Windows would prevent them from being modified. Oddly, it does not target SQL Server backups, which is a very good thing. Most of my customers use SQL Server.
 
Luckily, my customer had backups and they're back up and running. However, if this was indeed the CryptoLocker virus it could still be lurking. 

jbow
This sounds like a job for Black Ops... IMO. People like this need to be squashed like bugs.

I was thinking the same thing. I've been watching a TV show called Nikita, about a rogue agency called "Division" that performs assassinations-for-hire. Too bad it's fiction. 
 
As far as we know, anyway.
 

Pretty crazy stuff!
 
I typically go through all the laptops around here ever couple/few months and take full backups to a dedicated-for-backups external drive.
Seems I need to take another batch of them this weekend.
 

arachnaut
You can read about this here, and note that a Local Security policy fix can help prevent infection:
 
http://www.bleepingcomput...ransomware-information

Thanks, downloaded, installed, and working... So far so good. When I was on XP I had to run Hijackthis, SPyware S&D, and had a couple of active programs watching for infections but I still had to use Hijackthis and Process liabrary, and manually clean things up now and then... THIS this ransomeware is something I DO NOT want to deal with. I wont be opening ANY zip or PDF files from anyone without a positive verification that it is legit (I have never opened a zip file that I didn't knowingly download as part of a program or something I knew was legit. I've never downloaded and unzipped any video or audio files... I figure that woud be asking for trouble. I never open ANY attachments in any email either. If family wants to share pictures they can share them in a message to my phone or on FB.
Anyway... thanks. This scam (all scams for that matter) really SUQ. Was it you, Herb who posted about 419 eater? It takes some reading to get through some of the stories there but it is worth it and I don't feel one bit sorry for those scammers who end up in a war zone or lost at sea or who spend all their money and get nothing. I think it is a service to use all. Now if someone could please do something about the IN ESS A. There was a report on TV today that they have hacked into Google and Yahoo databases... I mean really??
I still say that I will take freedom over security ANY DAY... not that I seem to have any choice.
At least these scammers wont get me.
I really need to learn to clone my HD. My wife does on site and off site backups for her business. I have heard about Acronis but I always get a bit put off when I look at it, not sure what to buy or what to do... but I guess it can't be that hard.
Thanks again,
J
 

Beagle

spacey
I had that happen about a month or so ago with my internet PC.
 
It just flagged up a weird legal looking page and a notice I had to
pay $300.00 to get control of my PC back!
 
I don't have a clue how it happened or what could happen...I just unplugged
it (so don't know if an email was received or not) and bought Win 8 and installed it.
I guess that took care of whatever happened because the only trouble I've had
is me learning how the hell Win 8 works....and don't like it at all...but it does seem
to operater faster when I can get it to do something :)
 
 

yes, reinstalling or installing a new OS will almost always wipe out a virus.  the only ones it won't wipe out are the really bad ones which infect the BIOS.

I don't have anything on the internet PC that I care about anyway....and that's why. All I lost was email addresses and time.
If it got one that hit the BIOS...I'd toss it in the trash easy enough. Internet PC doesn't have to be worth much of nothing anyway.
The DAW PC goes on-line only to update music programs.
 

Yet another reason why your DAW PC should never be on the net. When will people get it.

From what I read, you have to intentionally click on a zipped file or active link in an email. The emails generally go to businesses stating that FedEx, UPS, or some other delivery service attempted delivery of a package and that the address they had on you failed.....  and you should click the zipped file for information on how to get the package....
 
I've actually gotten a number of them (the emails of this sort) but since I am aware of the virus threat and I know when I'm expecting a UPS delivery AND that UPS, FedEx and the others all have my address.... I ignore and delete the emails..... I also warn my family and friends about stuff like this....
 
The main thing to remember..... don't click on things out of curiosity.... and think twice before you click on things that look legit. Take a few minutes and make a phone call to verify. Another email that was going around was related to problems with your credit card account, bank account, and other financial accounts.  Same deal... zipped file in the attachments....
 
Pick up the phone and verify before you click....as it turned out, the bank in this case asked me to forward the email to their security dept so they could trace it.

My wife was on a MIDI site and clicked on a link to something.
 
She was trying to learn about CC codes for her MIDI controller experiments and was too inexperienced with the idea that MIDI sites are often times filled with illegally copied and distributed MIDI music files and lots of accompanying virus and trojan bombs. I was annoyed because the warning signs seemed obvious to me. She just thought it was a web site with MIDI help on it.
 
The trojan took a web cam shot of her and created a splash screen with fabricated accusations and a ransom offer of $300.
 
best regards,
mike

Same with me Mike. I was searching for something...don't remember what but probably
something to do with guitar tools or wood and Bam, there it was.