Held to ransom

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Rikkitic

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#239357 13-Jul-2018 13:52

I just received the following gem on one of my email accounts. This is the exact text I received, except I blanked out the user name/password, which were correct, and I coped and pasted it via Notepad. I find this annoying since I suppose I will now have to change all my passwords. From the source of this nastiness, I have to conclude that my account on the service involved was hacked since my password and user name were correctly cited.

Here is the text:

-----------------------

I know that, *********, is your password. you do not know me and you are most likely thinking why you're getting this e-mail, correct?

The answer is, I setup a malware on the adult vids (sex sites) and you know what, you visited this website to have fun (you know what I mean). While you were watching videos, your browser initiated functioning as a Rdp (Remote control desktop) that has a key logger which provided me accessibility to your screen as well as cam. Right after that, my software obtained every one of your contacts from messenger, facebook, as well as email.

What did I do?
I have made a double-screen video. 1st part displays the video you were watching (you have a nice taste rofl), and next part shows the recording of your webcam.

What should you do?
Well, I believe, $1200 is a fair price tag for our little secret. You will make the payment via Bitcoin (if you do not know this, search "how to buy bitcoin" in google).

BTC ADDRESS: 15sPaadYQLEhJG8Q2Skd1LXkYRo2fGfbK1
(It's CASE sensitive, so copy and paste it)

Important:
You now have one day in order to make the payment. (I have a unique pixel within this email message, and now I know that you've read this e-mail). If I don't receive the BitCoins, I will send your video recording to all of your contacts including members of your family, colleagues, and many others. however, if I receive the payment, I'll erase the video immediately. If you really want proof, reply with "yes!" and I will send your video to your 5 friends. It is a non-negotiable one time offer, so kindly do not ruin my personal time and yours by replying to this e-mail.

------------------------

There are a number of points to be made about this. First, I am not particularly worried by it though I am annoyed that I have to change my passwords. The account in question is rarely used. Mainly, I just use it for a handful of subscriptions. I never send mail on it and there is nothing sensitive on it.

Second, as those here who know me know, I am old-fashioned. I don't use Internet banking. I don't use any of my accounts for anything important. My Internet use is mainly confined to social media (Geekzone) and streaming. Every account, browser, router, and whatever else could be compromised and it would not severely affect me, though it would cause me some mild inconvenience. Which is not to say I am oblivious to security. I do take reasonable measures and I do not believe I have ever been compromised (except now, on this one account).

On to the more amusing bits: I never visit porn sites of any kind. Honest. I don't care if anyone believes me or not, but I just don't. My interests lie elsewhere. So that part is certainly a BS bluff. Also, I don't have a webcam on any of my computers. Really. My notebook has one built in but I disabled it and covered it with tape. I did this a long time ago. I have never felt any need to broadcast my face to the world and I don't like the idea that someone might peek on me. So that part is also BS.

I'm not on Messenger or Facebook. I do have an address book. Anyone in there who saw me doing something dirty would just laugh. I am not easily embarrassed. But anyone watching the above-mentioned video is going to be disappointed. I can't speak for the porn bit, but my side of the screen will be disappointingly blank.

I am posting this here to inform others. I know this kind of thing exists, but it both angers and amuses me. It angers me that a$$holes like this dare to threaten me, but it amuses me that they have missed the mark so widely. Anyway, I share this for what it is worth. I am not going to lose any sleep over it. Time to go change my passwords.

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#2055769 13-Jul-2018 14:12

I got the same email about a week ago and it had an email address in it so I emailed them (from a old Hotmail address) and said release it

John

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freitasm

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#2055773 13-Jul-2018 14:16

This has been going around for a while now. Because a lot of people re-use passwords, it's easy to inflict fear and doubt using this.

Make sure you never re-use passwords in different services. Where possible use 2FA (Two Factor Authentication). Wherever there is no 2FA but "Security Questions" do not create answers that are factual and can be learnt from trawling social media accounts.

Check https://haveibeenpwned.com/ periodically for both your email and password leaks and change passwords on any site reported there.

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Rikkitic

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#2055810 13-Jul-2018 14:50

On reflection, it wasn't my email account that got hacked, but one of the services I subscribed to using that account. I realised that the user name cited did not go with the email. Both were correct but would not work to access the email account.

I do check haveibeenpwned from time to time and I just checked again and you pegged it! That email account is on three breaches! The one I'm sure my info came from is Linux Forums, which was breached in May. Surely Linux users should know better!

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MikeB4

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#2055815 13-Jul-2018 14:56

Rikkitic:

On reflection, it wasn't my email account that got hacked, but one of the services I subscribed to using that account. I realised that the user name cited did not go with the email. Both were correct but would not work to access the email account.

I do check haveibeenpwned from time to time and I just checked again and you pegged it! That email account is on three breaches! The one I'm sure my info came from is Linux Forums, which was breached in May. Surely Linux users should know better!

Ubuntu Forums were compromised twice, the second time they got logins, emails, user names and hashed passwords. I guess no one is immune and no one should think they are immune. In the words from an 80's TV show..... Hey...lets be careful out there.

freitasm

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#2055858 13-Jul-2018 15:05

Rikkitic: The one I'm sure my info came from is Linux Forums, which was breached in May. Surely Linux users should know better!

ROFL! That's the joke.

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Rikkitic

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#2055864 13-Jul-2018 15:22

This, by the way, is why I never put any personal info in my profiles. All they can get is my email and login.

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rb99

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#2055868 13-Jul-2018 15:30

MikeB4:

Rikkitic:

On reflection, it wasn't my email account that got hacked, but one of the services I subscribed to using that account. I realised that the user name cited did not go with the email. Both were correct but would not work to access the email account.

I do check haveibeenpwned from time to time and I just checked again and you pegged it! That email account is on three breaches! The one I'm sure my info came from is Linux Forums, which was breached in May. Surely Linux users should know better!

Ubuntu Forums were compromised twice, the second time they got logins, emails, user names and hashed passwords. I guess no one is immune and no one should think they are immune. In the words from an 80's TV show..... Hey...lets be careful out there.

+100 for that 80's TV show

“The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness.” -John Kenneth Galbraith

rb99

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#2055871 13-Jul-2018 15:37

I've had oodles similar of those, ignored every single one. But none have ever shown me a password.

Gavin / xpd / FastRaccoon / Geek of Coastguard New Zealand

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Rikkitic

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#2055872 13-Jul-2018 15:44

First time, but there it was.

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kyhwana2

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#2056146 14-Jul-2018 14:27

As has been mentioned this has been going around and they passwords/usernames/emails in the emails were from previously breached sites.

CERTNZ has a twitter thread on this: https://twitter.com/CERTNZ/status/1017527728361394177

They also have a bunch of good guides on staying safe online: https://www.cert.govt.nz/businesses-and-individuals/guides/simple-steps-to-cyber-security/

shermanp

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#2056254 15-Jul-2018 00:12

Cool, I just got one too!

Arrived in my Spam folder. Funnily enough, the scammer didn't populate my email with any credentials like some have reported. Maybe widening the net a bit perhaps?

The email I received is below:

******************************'

Greetings.

Hopefully u don't really mind my english sentence structure, since im from Indonesia. I contaminated your device with a malware and im in possession of your personal information out of your os.

It was set up on a mature website and after that you've chosen the online video, viewed it, my program immediately got into your computer.

Then, your web-camera started to record you hand partying, on top of that i documented a footage that you've looked at.

Just after a little while it also picked up your device contacts. If you want me to clear off your all that i possess - transfer me 340 euros in bitcoin it's a cryptocurrency. This is my account address : xxxxxxxxxxxxx

At this moment you will have 24hrs. to make a decision The minute i will get the transfer i am going to get rid of this evidence and every little thing entirely. Otherwise, please be certain that your footage will be submitted to all your contacts.

networkn

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#2056256 15-Jul-2018 00:21

shermanp:

Cool, I just got one too!

Arrived in my Spam folder. Funnily enough, the scammer didn't populate my email with any credentials like some have reported. Maybe widening the net a bit perhaps?

The email I received is below:

******************************'

Greetings.

Hopefully u don't really mind my english sentence structure, since im from Indonesia. I contaminated your device with a malware and im in possession of your personal information out of your os.

It was set up on a mature website and after that you've chosen the online video, viewed it, my program immediately got into your computer.

Then, your web-camera started to record you hand partying, on top of that i documented a footage that you've looked at.

Just after a little while it also picked up your device contacts. If you want me to clear off your all that i possess - transfer me 340 euros in bitcoin it's a cryptocurrency. This is my account address : xxxxxxxxxxxxx

At this moment you will have 24hrs. to make a decision The minute i will get the transfer i am going to get rid of this evidence and every little thing entirely. Otherwise, please be certain that your footage will be submitted to all your contacts.

It's odd for them to seek your forgiveness for poor English sentence structure in one sentence but attempt to extort you in another! :)

I am off the opinion that there should be an international task force who should have permission from Governments to find the creeps that run these, but much more importantly the ransomware malware, and publically execute them. You'd soon note a significant drop in the number of infections!

I am not Pro death penalty, but there are times where I feel it could be used as an effective deterrent.

DarthKermit

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#2056259 15-Jul-2018 08:02

If you've seen that 1995 Martin Scorsese film Casino, you might remember what they did to the guy caught cheating at cards. That'd suffice for all these Internet scammers.

MadEngineer

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#2056264 15-Jul-2018 08:35

So, do you use the same password on very website? If not, why do you need to change them all?

You're not on Atlantis anymore, Duncan Idaho.

Rikkitic

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#2056384 15-Jul-2018 11:47

No I do not. But I do reuse some passwords on some sites. Why not? A lot of these are just throwaway forum logins where I had to register to ask a question. I don't really care if those logins are compromised but if I know a password has become public knowledge I will change it.

Important passwords should be changed from time to time. I don't always think to do that. This is a handy reminder.

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