The evolution of crypto-ransomware in terms of behavior takes a step forward, and a creepy one at that. We have recently encountered a nasty crypto-ransomware family called JIGSAW. Reminiscent to the horror film Saw, this malware toys with users by locking and deleting their files incrementally. To an extent, it instills fear and pressures users into paying the ransom. It even comes with an image of Saw’s very own Billy the puppet, and the red digital clock to boot.
Read MoreWe have recently caught sight of a mobile ransomware distributed by fake adult websites. It not only locks the device screen and display a warning supposedly coming from law enforcement—a tactic reminiscent of the Police Trojan that plagued desktops before—it also activates the unit’s front facing camera to add to its scare tactic. However, while it has routines unique to mobile ransomware, it also has a particular set of weaknesses that stand out.
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Every registered voter in the Philippines is now susceptible to fraud and other risks after a massive data breach leaked the entire database of the Philippines’ Commission on Elections (COMELEC). While initial reports have downplayed the impact of the leak, our investigations showed a huge number of sensitive personal identifiable information (PII)–including passport information and fingerprint data–are included in the data dump.
Read MoreAs if encrypting files and holding them hostage is not enough, cybercriminals who create and spread crypto-ransomware are now resorting to causing blue screen of death (BSOD) and putting their ransom notes at system startup—as in, even before the operating system loads. Imagine turning on your computer and instead of the usual Windows icon loading, you get a flashing red and white screen with a skull-and-crossbones instead.
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