The police alert Internet users to a virus that extorts them

Police have issued a warning about a virus that is trying to extort internet users into believing they have committed an offence. According to the message from the police, this threat would spread in particular via streaming sites.

Beware if you are used to frequenting streaming sites. According to a message from the national police released earlier this week, an attempted scam is currently active and "has already affected a large number of people using the Windows operating system by extracting money from them". According to the police, streaming sites are the main vectors of this threat.

"If your PC is infected, your computer is then blocked, and an image will be constantly presented to you, even after having restarted your PC", warns the police on its website, which adds that this "virus has been raging for some time on the net" and is "particularly widespread in France".

Ransomware

If you are interested in computer security, you will certainly have recognized the characteristics of "ransomware" (or "ransomware") in the description given by the police. The purpose of this software is to block the operation of the computer or to make certain data stored on the PC inaccessible, before demanding the payment of a ransom to stop the blackmail.

To facilitate the spread of these viruses, the authors try to make the victim believe that he has committed an offense and that only the payment of a fine will avoid having to face justice. According to the police, the amounts demanded as part of this racket generally range from 70 to 100 euros. Payments must then be made via online platforms, such as Ukash or Paysafecard.

Of course, you should never respond to these messages. "This message is a scam and does not come from the National Police or any other administration! Do not pay under any circumstances!" Warns the police. A warning that is obviously not known to everyone, since the victims are numerous and the scourge is obviously very widespread.

Growing problem

It must be said that the money generated with ransomware is significant. In 2012, Europol indicated that it is "a big business, which generates millions of euros for organized crime groups". Same story at Trend Micro, which declared that "the revenue generated by this threat is estimated at more than one million euros per year", with victims who number in the tens of thousands.

This problem, far from being new, had convinced several Member States of the European Union to organize meetings within Europol, insofar as the forms taken by these threats are very variable according to the country. For example, a ransomware circulated in France taking advantage of the existence of Hadopi to encourage victims to pay a fine for an alleged hack.

If you are in this situation, be aware that there are guides to restore your computer in good condition and keep it up to date. If you have already paid, you must first contact the platform on which the transfer was made to request its cancellation. Then you have to file a complaint.

(photo: David Monniaux)