Shameless crooks fling Star Trek-themed ransomware at world Audacious cybercriminals have created an Star Trek-themed strain of ransomware. Hat-tip to Bleeping Computer, which broke the story on the "Kirk" malware, discovered yesterday by Avast malware researcher Jakub Kroustek. The software disguises itself as the notorious Low Orbit Ion Cannon (LOIC) denial of service tool, a …
Picard: Data, Set a course for Romulus maximum warp!
Data: Your "Data" has been encrypted, please deposit 1000 gold pressed latinum bars into the following account. You have 10 minutes to comply.
Picard: Data, what the hell is wrong with you? Report to sick bay!
Data: I can't sir.. I...i've been penetrated by Kirk and only Spock can save me.
>Data: I can't sir.. I...i've been penetrated by Kirk and only Spock can save me.
Ties in nicely with the reg story on love robots:
https://forums.theregister.co.uk/forum/1/2017/03/14/reg_love_robot_lecture/
Hmm now there is a thought, can you catch the clap from a robot. Your knob/map of Tassie has been encrypted.......
I reckon they've missed a trick here. In my experience data becomes less valuable the more stale it is ... If a mark won't pay a grand when it happens, the chances are by the time it goes up to two grand they'll already be reconciled to the idea the data is gone forever and the increased price will merely solidify that view.
Start high and discount every few days, dutch auction style, and the deep pocketed victims will pay big for fast access to data, whilst even casual users might eventually pay 50 quid to recover some old photos they barely care about about six months after infection.
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