Trojan encrypts your files, holds them ransom for $300

Turns out it is possible to teach an old horse new tricks. It seems there's a Trojan horse going around that, if run, will put your files into an encrypted zip file and delete the originals. It also leaves a file called AUTO_ZIP_REPORT.TXT that contains instructions on getting your files back: send $300 ransom to an E-Gold account. The text file says, "If you really care about documents and information in encrypted files you can pay using electonic currency $300. Reporting to police about a case will not help you, they do not know password. Reporting somewhere about our E-Gold account will not help you to restore files. This is your only way to get yours files back." The Trojan is apparently not widespread, having been sent by e-mail to relatively few victimgs, and is not considered a major threat, though the virus' originator is using scores of E-Gold accounts to avoid shutdown.

[Via Digg]

Tags: encryption, extortion, ransom, trojan, virus, zip