Cryptolocker

[Reub]

The Cryptolocker malware has been around for a while now but I just love it's name. Both mysterious and ominous!

It is a very dangerous form of ransomware that should be taken very seriously as it will hijack your computer and files and hold them hostage until you pay, usually using bitcoins or through anonymous store-bought pay cards. It appears that the hijackers are overseas, possibly Europe/Russia. Here is a recent news article about how it even hijacked the computers in a police station:

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2013/12/18/c ... ect-crime/

One should be extremely careful of opening even seemingly innocuous looking emails or attachments/links. I have added a small program named Cryptoprevent to try to neutralize this threat:

http://www.foolishit.com/vb6-projects/cryptoprevent/

Here is a great resource on the Cryptolocker malware:

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/virus-r ... nformation

[Jan Van]

There should be a law against it! 

As bad as they are, some of these malware/virus/worms/etc are quite interesting...