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Repeated Shutdown Initiatives mayn’t still have Fully Terminated CryptoLocker - BitDefender

BitDefender the security company recently published a report stating that although CryptoLocker the ransomware that notoriously locks users' files hasn't been attacking from June 2014 when it was last taken down, yet the delivery network through which it spreads could be present and running.

Maintaining a close watch over the malware during the 9 months gone by, the security company observed that cyber-criminals had been utilizing CryptoLocker while blackmailing victims to pay several millions of USDs during the period. BitDefender computes the money thus drained as approximately $27m; however, the value of real destruction even devoid of the worth of total PC-files leaked possibly was double the amount.

It was during November 2013 that CryptoLocker was first terminated via the efforts of the MalwareMustDie team, which began disabling the CnC (command-and-control) websites that the ransomware utilized. And during the early period of 2013 December, the team successfully terminated some 150 websites; still CryptoLocker managed to overcome those shutdown efforts.

After this, during June 2014, law enforcement and security industry destroyed the Gameover ZeuS botnet that CryptoLocker had been utilizing to spread infection. This second initiative to deactivate the ransomware turned out far more successful while the botnet's interaction with infected PCs had been snapped.

Nevertheless, it's possible that infected PCs continue to exist which the malware has not still victimized since security professionals destroyed the botnet prior to the beginning of the file-locking procedure.

Chief Security Strategist Catalin Cosoi of BitDefender states that users must perform a detail virus scan for identifying and removing potential CryptoLocker infections on their PCs when the file-locking procedure still hasn't begun otherwise they could be endangered with data-loss. Help Net Security published this, July 11, 2014.

Moreover as per BitDefender, more cyber-criminal gangs have been noticed developing further advanced ransomware samples, like TorLocker, which's traded on secret crime-websites like one affiliate program.

Conclusively according to Cosoi, computer-users are strongly advised for being extra careful with websites they access and things they download. Intermediate applications' (Flash, Adobe Reader or Java) latest updates must be deployed immediately on their availability, while utilization of anti-malware software too is highly recommended.

» SPAMfighter News - 7/22/2014

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