Malware targeting banks – attempting to steal ‘tens of millions’

The National Crime Agency (NCA) has issued a warning to”small and midsized” businesses (SMBs) of a mass email spamming attack that’s making PCs freeze, aka a crypto locker, asking owners to to pay up.

The email message the NCA suspects has landed in “tens of millions” of UK computer users’ email inbox, carries an attachment that claims to be sent from banks and other financial companies (such as a voicemail message, fax, invoice or details of a shady transaction being placed).

This malware that is attached is known as ransomware or a Crytolocker. After executed the application encrypts a PC’s files, and opens a window that displays a countdown and demands a payment of two Bitcoins in ransom (around $1,631 at the time of publishing) for the decryption key

Bitcoins are a virtual currency that have increased in recognition due to its low inflation rate and anonymous trait. Nevertheless, they’ve also been used in a considerable number of other activities, including drug dealing and other underground transactions.

The NCA has warned that the scam is a “significant risk” and states that anyone who is affected by the malware should report it to the National Cyber Crime Unit (NCCU), which is on the hunt for the perpetrators, via Action Fraud.