Locally Customized Ransomware Attacks Finnish Internet-users

Police in Finland have issued an alert to the public about a "ransomware" spreading online, while coming from the Trojan:W32/Ransom malware group that earlier hit Spain, UK and Germany of Europe, thus published Helsingin Sanomat on March 12, 2012.

It's reported that to work, the Ransomware infects the target system that causes the Internet Explorer to expand across the entire screen, while exhibits one message apparently that of an area police unit, asserting, someone has been using the user's PC for accessing websites showing animal and child abuse. The message then asserts the person has been utilizing the PC for distributing spam too, associated with terrorism; therefore, the user's computer has been restricted from operating till the time he pays a fine.

Here, the Ransomware, which's said as being part of "Tietoverkkorikosten tutkinnan yksikkö," when translated, reads: "Information Networks Crime Unit." But, there's no unit with the Finnish cops having the name like that. Furthermore, the message's utilization of the Finnish language isn't very good either, while the e-mail id for contacting is cyber-metropolitan-police.co.uk. Additional scrutiny actually show that the registration of the domain name cyber-metropolitan-police.co.uk is with some imposter, Mr. "be happy" a resident of Gette (Poland).

East Uusimaa Police's Teemu Hokkanen a detective inspector states that dual complaints have been lodged in Vantaa regarding one crime that used the malware. Even the victims deposited EUR100 as fine. Meanwhile the main criminal police wing of Finland called The National Bureau of Investigation too has been provided clues regarding the malicious software.

Now, the ransomware-based email circulating in Finland is demanding recipients to pay through Paysafecard that's one kind of pre-paid card made to be disposed after use and which also helps in conducting unnamed Internet-transactions.

Police have information that PCs, which have got infected with the malware, were short of up-to-date operating system and/or sufficient anti-viruses.

Thus, security specialists advise Internet-users that incase Ransomware ever hijacks their computers they mustn't send money for any reason to the perpetrators. Besides, they should remember that no Police anywhere globally, including the Finnish cops ever uses pre-paid billing mechanism like Paysafe, Ucash etc., to procure fines.

Related article: Local Internet Crime Gang Busted in South Africa, 13 Held

» SPAMfighter News - 3/16/2012