CryptoWall replaces shut down CryptoLocker
Posted by: Timothy Weaver on 08/29/2014 06:18 AM
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Researchers have found that over the last six months, A file-encrypting ransomware program called CryptoWall infected over 600,000 computer systems and netted the creators more than $1 million.
The Counter Threat Unit (CTU) at Dell SecureWorks said Wednesday that CryptoWall is “the largest and most destructive ransomware threat on the Internet” at the moment and will likely continue to grow.
CryptoLocker ransoms were between $100 and $500 dollars to decrypt the victims files, earning its creators around $3 million over 9 months. The threat was shut down at the end of May following a multi-national law enforcement operation that had support from security vendors.
CryptoWall filled the void left by CryproLocker. It used a variety of tactics that included spam emails with malicious links or attachments, drive-by-download attacks from sites infected with exploit kits and through installations by other malware programs already running on compromised computers.
“Between mid-March and August 24, 2014, nearly 625,000 systems were infected with CryptoWall,” the CTU researchers said. “In that same timeframe, CryptoWall encrypted more than 5.25 billion files.”
“Of nearly 625,000 infections, 1,683 victims (0.27%) paid the ransom, for a total take of $1,101,900 over the course of six months,” the CTU researchers said.
The Counter Threat Unit (CTU) at Dell SecureWorks said Wednesday that CryptoWall is “the largest and most destructive ransomware threat on the Internet” at the moment and will likely continue to grow.
CryptoLocker ransoms were between $100 and $500 dollars to decrypt the victims files, earning its creators around $3 million over 9 months. The threat was shut down at the end of May following a multi-national law enforcement operation that had support from security vendors.
CryptoWall filled the void left by CryproLocker. It used a variety of tactics that included spam emails with malicious links or attachments, drive-by-download attacks from sites infected with exploit kits and through installations by other malware programs already running on compromised computers.
“Between mid-March and August 24, 2014, nearly 625,000 systems were infected with CryptoWall,” the CTU researchers said. “In that same timeframe, CryptoWall encrypted more than 5.25 billion files.”
“Of nearly 625,000 infections, 1,683 victims (0.27%) paid the ransom, for a total take of $1,101,900 over the course of six months,” the CTU researchers said.
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