Stampado ransomware offered cheap on dark web

16 Jul 2016

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Stampado, a malware that gives its victims 96 hours to pay a ransom before it starts deleting files from their PC has surfaced on the dark web.

If the ransom is not paid, the malware continues to delete random files every six hours.

The Stampado malware is on offer for $39 for a lifetime's licence on the dark web. Stampado, unlike other variants does not need administrator rights to start infecting computers.

Ransomware, a malicious software scrambles the data on a victim's PC and demands payment for restoring the data to its original state.

Individuals often end up poorer by a few hundred pounds and businesses a few thousands, though these figures may vary.

"Cryptoware is such a big segment of the malware economy, malware creators have to constantly release new products to keep their clients engaged and the money flowing," said security firm Heimdal in a blog.

In June, researchers at Intel Security said they detected an "alarming" increase in the volume of ransomware available to hackers.

They added they had identified 124 separate variants of the malware.

The FBI also said that it had seen ransomware attacks double in the past year, with over 2,400 complaints. Such attacks had caused losses estimated at $24 million in that timeframe.

"You always wanted a ransomware but never wanted two [sic] pay hundreds of dollars for it?" asks the Stampado ransomware creator in his pitch.

"Stampado is a cheap and easy to manage ransomware developed by me and my team. It's meant two [sic] be really easy to use. You'll not need a host. All you will need is an email account."

"Price is only $39 for lifetime licence!"

According to the Inquirer, which claimed to have searched the usual sites for Stampado signatures but drew a blank, it could be some shady operator on the dark market trying to take orders for dubious wares.

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