Kapersky: Koler Police Mobile Ransomware Still Extorting People

LOS ANGELES—Kapersky Lab is warning about a notorious form of mobile ransomware that targets visitors to porn sites that was thought to have been eradicated but which is still at work, actively extorting money from unsuspecting victims. “The malicious application is downloaded after a user’s visit from a pornographic website,” interaksyon.com reported today. “After it is installed, the malware blocks the screen of the victim and generates a localized message from the police demanding a ransom or fine of between $100 [and] $300.” AVN reported in early May on the Koler ransomware, which was immediately targeted by security software vendors like Kapersky,  which says now that while “component parts” of the malware had been disrupted last month, “malicious components” are still active. “Those behind the attacks used an unusual scheme to scan victims’ systems and offer customized ransomware depending on location and device type,” said Kaspersky. “The use of a pornographic network for this ransomware is no coincidence: victims are more likely to feel guilty about browsing such content and pay the alleged fine from the ‘authorities’.” It’s ability to survive concerted attempts to neutralize it proves, according to Vicente Diaz, Kaspersky Principal Security Researcher, “just how well organized and dangerous this campaign is.” Interaksyon.com adds, “Kaspersky said that among almost 200,000 visitors to the mobile infection domain since the beginning of the campaign, the majority are based in the USA (80 percent – 146,650), followed by the UK (13,692), Australia (6,223), Canada (5,573), Saudi Arabia (1,975) and Germany (1,278),” and includes four tips by Kapersky to keep such attacks at bay: * Remember that you will never get official ‘ransom’ messages from the police, so never pay them; * Don’t install any app you find while browsing; * Don’t visit websites you don’t trust; and * Use a reliable antivirus solution.