Middle Tenn. sheriff pays ransom for files held hostage by malware

AP via Johnson City Press ^ | November 13, 2014

[don-o]

DICKSON, Tenn. — The Dickson County Sheriff's Office in Middle Tennessee ended up paying a ransom after a malicious computer program blocked access to their files.

Detective Jeff McCliss told WTVF-TV that malware on a computer locked the agency's case files, which included autopsy reports, witness statements and crime scene photos. He says the malware, called "Cryptowall," doesn't tamper with files on a computer, but keeps them locked until a ransom is paid.

[Sparklite]

Same thing happened in an episode of The Good Wife.

[don-o]

Don’t even know what that is. A TEEVEE show or sumpin’?

[moovova]

Officer Bubba been surfing too many porn websites on the night shift.

[AppyPappy]

No backups?

I think I see their problem there.

[UCANSEE2]

So.... if he has to PAY somebody, can’t the ‘authorities’ track down who receives the payment ?

[Ingtar]

Doesn’t sound like the were smart enough to turn off the automatic Windows restore points, which could have saved them from embarrassment.

[don-o]

http://www.symantec.com/security_response/writeup.jsp?docid=2014-061923-2824-99

[rockrr]

There should be a bounty on the heads of authors of cryptolocker and similar ransom-ware. A lamppost is too good for them.

[don-o]

turn off the automatic Windows restore points,

Tell more about that, please. Maybe I need to go there.

[atomic_dog]

Officer Bubba been surfing too many porn websites on the night shift.

[fella]

It’s a lot more difficult to hold paper files for ransom.

[Ingtar]

Depends on your version of Windows where you find it. Windows 7 it is called System Protection. I find that it usually helps more people than it hurts.

[Moonman62]

Detective Jeff McCliss told WTVF-TV that malware on a computer locked the agency's case files, which included autopsy reports, witness statements and crime scene photos.

Good luck using it as evidence now. Store all that stuff on a non-network computer.

[Blood of Tyrants]

Payment probably goes to an offshore account.

[billhilly]

“Doesn’t sound like the were smart enough to turn off the automatic Windows restore points....”

Pretty darn near impossible on a mac.

[billhilly]

“Doesn’t sound like the were smart enough to turn off the automatic Windows restore points....”

Pretty darn near impossible on a mac.

[Georgia Girl 2]

Somebody introduce the Sheriff to Malwarebytes.

[Ingtar]

Ahh. Well, Macs are better. There had to be a much better way out of it if it was on a Mac. :)

I missed that in the article, apparently.

[Mr. K]

I was just going to say that... boot from a thumbdrive and run Malwarebytes and you’re good to go.

Leave it installed too along with Avast anti-virus