Cyber Blackmail Wave Targets Office Workers

[OneBlueSky]

seems there's yet another new and nefarious way to make money with your computer . . . office workers of the world, beware! . . .

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=technologyNews&storyID=4052663&pageNumber=0

"Cyber blackmail artists are shaking down office workers, threatening to delete computer files or install pornographic images on their work PCs unless they pay a ransom, police and security experts said.

"The extortion scam, which is believed to have surfaced one year ago, indiscriminately targets anyone on the corporate ladder with a PC connected to the Internet.

"It usually starts with a threatening e-mail in which the author claims to have the power to take over a worker's computer through an exploit in the corporate network, experts said.

"The e-mail typically contains a demand that unless a small fee is paid -- at first no more than $20 or $30 -- they will attack the PC with a file-wiping program or download onto the machine images of child pornography."

- more . . .

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=technologyNews&storyID=4052663&pageNumber=0

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

1. I got something like this...

The other day. The title contained "Do you want your family to know?". I got 4 emails all told.

I have my home network secured quite effectively. I am not concerned.

[creativelcro]

2. I remember a recent case

in which some guy got in trouble because he had kiddie porn on his computer. But since there were some trojans on his computer his defense lawyer argued successfully that someone else could have planted the stuff.