David J. Barton
The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center has issued a warning about malware which tries to extort money from its victims by locking their computers, the agency announced August 9.
Donna Gregory from the IC3 said the Reveton is a “drive-by” malware that can infect a computer just by the user clicking on a compromised website.
Gregory wrote that the malware will immediately lock a computer and display a message that states that there has been a violation of a federal law.
A Reveton victim wrote the violations stated in the message include “illegal use of downloaded media, under-age porn viewing, or computer-use negligence.”
Victims are instructed to pay a ransom via MoneyPak order.
The Reveton was first discovered in 2011 and a FBI warning was issued in May 2012 due to an increase in filed complaints.
Gregory also said a variation of the malware is able to turn on computer webcams and display the victim’s photo on the frozen screen.
The FBI also warned that the Reveton is also able to operate on the background and capture personal infomation.
The FBI said victims of the malware should not pay the ransom, should contact a computer professional immediately, and file a complaint on the IC3 website.
