Ransomware Affects Everyone, Even Sex Shops

[Karamjit]

Queensland adult store falls victim to spam-based ransomware

A sex shop in Queensland has been violently introduced to the concept of email spam and ransomware, facing serious downtime because of it.

If someone ever gave us the option to choose which type of malware we could remove from the face of the Earth and uninvent, I and all the people who have had a brush with ransomware at least once in their lives would choose ransomware.

This type of malware has slowly evolved over the years, from a simple popup covering the user's desktop monitor, which could easily be dismissed from the Windows Task Manager, to a heinous and malevolent piece of software that encrypts your files and permanently blocks your computer's screen.

This is exactly what happened to the Sweethearts sex store in Queensland, Australia, which, after opening a normal-looking email, managed to infect the store's server with malware, which encrypted their data and offered to release it for around 3 Bitcoin ($755 / €675).

Its owner, Colin Edwards, said for News.com.au that he tried to complain to the police about his quandary, but they only redirected him to the Australian Cybercrime Online Reporting Network (ACORN), an automated online system from which he only got a preformatted email.

“They sent us back an email telling us they were very busy and they couldn’t tell us when they could get back to us,” Mr. Edwards said.

Unfortunately for him, this meant that he eventually had to pay the ransom, but now, as everyone else, he's worrying that the hackers could re-encrypt his files and demand more money in the future.

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