According to security researchers, the latest Crypto ransomware – CryptoDefense – leaves victims with a key to unlock their own computer.
The aggressive CryptoLocker ransomware emerged last year, locking files on victims' computers and providing the decryption key only upon payment of a ransom.
The success of the scam – which infected an estimated 250,000 computers between September and December last year – has emboldened criminals, who, using CryptoDefense in February, demanded $500 for the key that would unlock the files. According to security firm Symantec, the latest campaign earned its creators $34,000 a month, and while previous versions provided unbreakable codes without payment, CryptoDefense contains bugs that could allow victims to get away with paying.
