US Warns Users of Child-Porn Blackmail Ransomware

coondoggie writes "The nasty Trojan known as Citadel malware, which is based on Zeus, has typically been used to extort money from online banking users, but a new variant is making the rounds that tries to get your money by saying you looked at child porn sites and must pay a violation fee to the U.S. Department of Justice. This variation, called Reveton, lures the victim to a drive-by download website, at which time the ransomware is installed on the user's computer, says the U.S. Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). Once installed, the computer freezes and a screen is displayed warning the user they have violated United States Federal Law."

Re:Who would fall for a fee?

[SuricouRaven]

Not for very long, though. If you follow the media, espicially the more conservative media, there is a fair bit of public outrage at the ruling - lots of headlines along the lines of 'New York legalises child pornography!'. So much that within less than a day of the ruling, the legislature was already in the process of passing a bill to reverse it. It will, without a shadow of a doubt, sail through unchallenged.
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765576135/New-York-bill-quickly-follows-court-ruling-on-child-porn.html [deseretnews.com]

It's worldwide

[jimicus]

I've seen a version that's been localised to the UK; apparently there are also versions localised to Canada. I haven't analysed it but it wouldn't surprise me if it's all the same trojan and it uses geolocation to display an appropriate logo.

Brilliant scam because even if the user knows it's a load of rubbish, nobody wants to be even remotely associated with paedophilia. You'd have to be a bit of an idiot to think you could make such an accusation go away by paying a small fine - or for that matter to believe that the police's MO in these cases is to put a great big warning on your screen (rather than to arrest you at dawn and take all your computers away), but I suspect there are probably enough idiots in this world to make it profitable.

Re:It's worldwide

[deroby]

My dad's PC had this, although apparently the creators didn't do their homework very well. Belgium having 2 (main) languages the scareware used the wrong language for this part of the country so he hardly understood what needed doing (not everybody speaks both languages). Off course the police logo etc made it look kind of daunting and -although it started up ridiculously slow- once it took over the pc became completely unusable.

It was rather easy to get rid of (safe mode, regedit, hijack-this and then a full scan with Security Essentials -which seemingly had missed it originally!)

The part I don't get is : how do the scammers get to their money (assuming some people are silly enough to pay) without the possibility of being traced back ?
=> shouldn't there be ridiculously easy traces to follow via paysafecard.com ??
=> worst case it should be easy enough to have these -at least!- blocked

Re:aka Idiot tax

[Dr_Barnowl]

Well, for example, porn that depicts violent acts, even between consensual adults, is illegal in the UK [wikipedia.org].

The performers have a defence as long as the acts they participate in are acts which a person is legally able to consent to in the UK, but the photographer and others present (sound crew, director, etc) are on the hook.

A relatively recent law as well, so not some antiquated sodomy law.

Re:It's worldwide

[Dunbal]

how do the scammers get to their money (assuming some people are silly enough to pay) without the possibility of being traced back ?

Usually they use different 3rd parties, don't tell them where the money is comig from or where it's going, and have them take the fall if they get caught.

Re:Who would fall for a fee?

[Anonymous Coward]

She's lying. There's little to no commercial trading. A few places require newcomers to trade pictures to join but most sources are free. Commercial trade is too dangerous.

The curious thing about child porn is that so few people are involved in it that very few actually know how it works. That leaves the field open to people with an agenda to lie because you cant argue against them without knowing how the field works and if you know then people will think you're involved in it.

Re:aka Idiot tax

[bergelin]

A translator of Manga comics recently got convicted of child pornography in the district court and the court of appeal in Sweden. This picture [dagensjuridik.se] (nothing nasty really) was judged as child pornography by the district court, but was cleared in appeal. He was still found guilty in appeal though, but for other pictures. The case is currently being heard by the Supreme Court.
The defendant is not a child abuser by any means, and in all likelihood hasn't got any pedophilic tendencies. He's just a fan of Japanese comics and owns a huge collection of those.

Re:Scummy yet brilliant.

[LordLimecat]

You really, really, really dont want to live in a world where vigilante justice is what passes for criminal justice.

Re:Scummy yet brilliant.

[t4ng*]

Yes, because something like that [slashdot.org] could never happen in a democracy, so it must have been a joke!