Skip to main content

Sherlene Stevens: Routine Review of Emails, Then There's Spam

At my home office, late afternoon, yesterday (April 11, 2016), I performed my typical e-mail organization routine. How dumb of me! I viewed my spams, and after reviewing a spam email (dated March 22nd), I opened the attached file to read . . . Bitcoin! This is what it said:

 ATTENTION!
All your documents, photos, databases and other important personal files
were encrypted using strong RSA-1024 algorithm with a unique key.
To restore your files you have to pay 0.31003 BTC (bitcoins).
Please follow this manual:

 1. Create Bitcoin wallet here:
      https://blockchain.info/wallet/new

 2. Buy 0.31003 BTC with cash, using search here:
      https://localbitcoins.com/buy_bitcoins

 3. Send 0.31003 BTC to this Bitcoin address:
      13Yt9gdwySpH6bbdvU29H4HnkuGmXiWrda

 4. Open one of the following links in your browser to download decryptor:
      http://webrh.fr/counter/?ad=13Yt9gdwySpH6bbdvU29H4HnkuGmXiWrda
      http://hamamozu.gov.tr/counter/?ad=13Yt9gdwySpH6bbdvU29H4HnkuGmXiWrda
      http://kandiramyo.kocaeli.edu.tr/counter/?ad=13Yt9gdwySpH6bbdvU29H4HnkuGmXiWrda
      http://bibliotecaatualiza.com.br/counter/?ad=13Yt9gdwySpH6bbdvU29H4HnkuGmXiWrda
      http://meshuristanbulpide.com/counter/?ad=13Yt9gdwySpH6bbdvU29H4HnkuGmXiWrda

 5. Run decryptor to restore your files.

 PLEASE REMEMBER:
      - If you do not pay in 3 days YOU LOOSE ALL YOUR FILES.
      - Nobody can help you except us.
      - It`s useless to reinstall Windows, update antivirus software, etc.
      - Your files can be decrypted only after you make payment.
      - You can find this manual on your desktop (DECRYPT.txt).
=====================================================
Most malware fixes should be avoided--such as this one. Do not visit the links enclosed, etc. I will discuss further tips after speaking to an IT consultant:

Basic technology explained and my own IT lessons learned . . .

  1. When you notice a malware attack, immediately, stop using your tech device until you use seek IT assistance. My attack, presented a popup with the message that my files had been crypted.
  2. Bitcoin is correct that it is does strip mostly MS Office documents--with mine, it took Word documents, Excel documents, PowerPoint documents, and Adobe documents. The documents still show but have the word "crypted" at the end of the saved file name.
  3. Without connection to my internet, I have tried completing a quick and full scan using an antivirus software. It took a very long time for the scans to complete.
  4. I have an old XP: After reading and hearing many topics of updating tech devices and software (by Google), about two years ago, I stopped saving my family pictures, or important pics, on my desktop. Oh don't get me wrong, I did have some time-consuming documents that I prepared or typed that were crypted such as my Excel files. Ugh! 
  5. When you view topic discussion of the Bitcoin malware, many IT consultant suggest "forget trying to retrieve your crypted documents."
  6. As an old XP lover, I realize that my computer no longer receives security updates from Google, etc.
  7. The lack of Google upgrades could mean no Google product full-function performance usage. XP owners could try another internet or web browser.
  8. I would ordinarily suggest comments to me of how to decrypt and retrieve my crypted documents, but now I am just afraid of even opening my emails. Note to self: Don't open any more spam emails--idiot action performed.
  9. Most of my malware attacks have been emails from my hosted domain and email supplier. So, yes, I scolded them--a paid email-host company supplier. "My free email hosts offer more spam malware checks than they do"!
  10. I want to continue this IT challenge as a family-friendly topic: we all have many family or favorite photo albums, favorite vacation pictures, etc., that we need to consider when saving to a tech device in this modern tech world of ours.
  11. In the past few years, there has been a significant decline of people of color using technology in our country whether it be for personal or business usage. Why?
  12. As a long-standing student of business and a business professional, I will continue to use my baby, my XP, for my social media, preparing business documents, and internet usage at the one and only family-bonding portal until it totally becomes obsolete, or until I have adequately made a budget for, yet another, new tech equipment upgrade.  


Labels: