There is a particularly devious type of malicious software that locks users out of their own computer systems until an individual agrees to pay a ransom to the hackers. In these cases, the FBI has surprisingly suggested just ponying up the dough.
It's not the type of advice one would typically expected from the FBI, but that's exactly what was recommended by Joseph Bonavolonta, the assistant special agent in charge of the FBI's CYBER and Counterintelligence Program Boston office.
"The ransomware is that good," said Bonavolonta at the 2015 Cyber Security Summit in Boston, as quoted by Security Ledger. "To be honest, we often advise people just to pay the ransom."
Yeah, it's RT, but I did a search, and that or similar headlines popped up on dozens of news sites. I clicked a couple of them, and the stories match. Try this one,
https://thehackernews.com/2015/10/fbi-ransomware-malware.html
Personally, I can almost certainly afford to nuke and reinstall, unless they get my RAID array. Then - I'd have to think hard.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 29 2015, @07:34PM
Remember when Mac used to be "virus free" too? That stopped as soon as there were enough targets using it to make it worth attacking. At best its the same as security through obfuscation.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday October 30 2015, @07:39AM
its security through...
. more switched on user base (slightly higher bar to entry)
. lack of click-through privilege escalation
. no registry
. users tend not to have admin privs and only su/sudo when necessary
. use of large vetted official software repositories (less need to download executables from third party websites)
windows is getting better though