Recorded Future has discovered a new family of ransomware called "Fatboy" that bases its ransom amount on the location of the victim.

The ransomware was found on a top-tier Russian cyber-criminal forum where the creator is offering it as a service and supplying support through Jabber.

Recorded Future’s Diana Granger explains that this new form bases its ransom amount on The Economist’s Big Mac Index which means that "victims in areas with a higher cost of living will be charged more to have their data decrypted.”

Since February 7, 2017, the author of the malware has received a measly $5,000.

It acts as all ransomware does in that it displays a message, claims that user’s files would be completely lost if the ransom isn’t paid within a specific period of time and even has language support in 12 countries. It is also capable of encrypting more than 5000 file extensions.

“The level of transparency in the Fatboy RaaS partnership may be a strategy to quickly gain the trust of potential buyers. Additionally, the automatic price adjustment feature shows an interest in customizing malware based on the targeted victim. Organizations should be aware of the adaptability of Fatboy, as well as other ransomware products, and continuously update their cyber security strategies as these threats evolve,” Granger notes.

Source: Security Week