Computer hackers to step up business scam, experts warn

Yorkshire’s Business Crime Reduction Centre (BCRC), which is backed by the region’s four police forces, said it had already received several reports of firms being attacked by so-called “ransomware” in recent months.

Latest figures show that criminals are making sums equivalent to £3m a year using malicious computer software which can infect technology ranging from one computer to an entire network of terminals across a company.

Specialists at the Sheffield-based BCRC admitted yesterday that they expected use of such attacks to rise in 2013 with the technology used becoming “more sophisticated, better targeted and very lucrative”.

The BCRC’s director, David Ransom, said: “Once it has infiltrated a personal computer or network, ransomware will lock or disable the system and demand payments in the form of a ‘fine’ in order to make the system usable again.

“Like most scams, the ransomware message claims to be from a legitimate organisation, such as the police.

“The message accuses victims of an illegal act such as accessing child pornography or downloading illegal software and issues a fine before the computer can be unblocked.”

BCRC experts said a typical ransomware message would claim: “Your PC is blocked due to the illegal viewing or distribution of copyrighted content. To unblock the computer you must pay a fine of £100.”

It is thought that many people pay the fine using a card just to try and get their computer back up and running quickly, but it does not solve the problem and the so-called “malware” remains on the computer and must be removed manually.

Mr Ransom added: “Victims become infected by selecting malicious links in emails, opening messages sent via social media sites or by visiting compromised websites.

“The only way to tackle this type of malware is through prevention. Once it is on a system the victim will probably require expert help to remove it.”

The BCRC said business and private computer users could help protect themselves by taking all the usual steps, including ensuring all updates are installed for firewalls and anti-virus programmes.

IT experts at the specialist unit also said users should be wary of email links and social media as these sites are “regularly used to transmit and spread ransomware and other forms of malware”.

Last week three people were arrested on suspicion of distributing ransomware after a police raid in Stoke on Trent. Police said software the trio are alleged to have used made victims believe their web-browsing habits were being investigated by police.

The software stopped the personal computers of victims from working and displayed a warning message purportedly from the Metropolitan Police. The message claimed illegal web use had been detected and demanded payment of a £100 fine.

The warning page apparently used logos from both the Metropolitan Police and the Police Central Crime e-Crime Unit (PCEU) to make it look more like an official warning notice.

Earlier this month, an Australian medical centre was hit by ransomware which encrypted patient records. Hackers behind the scam demanded 4,000 Australian dollars (£2,610) to release the records.

Police forces have recently been forced to issue public statements saying computers would never be locked during an investigation and fines would not be issued.

Hackers have also used the logo of the Performing Right Society (PRS), which collects royalties on behalf of musicians, telling computer users they have downloaded copyrighted music.

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