Topic: Ransomware [nerdiest post ever written on Kubuntuforums.net]

[Tom_ZeCat]

I might do something ultra-ultra nerdy in my curiosity about ransomware. First, I'm protecting myself from that crap as follows:
1. Use Kubuntu for almost everything, especially for going online.
2. Refrain from going online with Windows PCs.
3. Whether using Kubuntu or Windows PC, don't store data on hard drive. Instead, store it on a thumb drive named Working.
4. At end of day, back up Working thumb drive to Working_BK thumb drive.
5. Working_BK thumb drive is only plugged in at time of backup. Otherwise it's always out.
6. Make and keep Clonezilla ghost image of all Kubuntu PCs onto external hard drive that is kept unplugged when not backing up.
7. Make and keep a backup of that external hard drive on another external hard drive.
8. Do #6 and #7 for all Windows PCs, except with Acronis True Image instead.
9. Use Kaspersky Internet Security on Windows PCs.

I ought to be extremely well protected against ransomware. Now here's the ridiculously nerdy thing I'm thinking of doing. I have an extra netbook that I'm not using for anything. Right now it has Lubuntu on it. I'm thinking of wiping it and putting Windows 7 Starter on it with no security software. Then I'll see if I can deliberately get it infected with ransomware. I would just do it to learn about it. With my security-conscious ways, I've fortunately never had to deal that. It would be interesting to see it in action.

So my questions are as follows:
1. Is there a risk to my other machines if I do this project on my home wifi? Would I be better off plugging in via ethernet? An Internet café maybe?
2. If I actually want ransomware, where would I find it? Russian porn sites?

Okay, go ahead and berate me as the nerdiest nerd who's ever nerded.

[vinnywright]

O ,,,,, do do it

it may take a bit longer than you think however ..........at least 2 days .

you should be good on your wifi .

IDK exactly where to find it ,,,,,,,,I have never gotten one of those "ransomware" infections myself.

However someone a friend of mines friend new had a box he really wanted gone .......I sead I'll take it , and did .
it had win7 and one of those as soon as it starts you get a big full screen FBI logo's and text saying you have been caught with child porn and your files are frozen unless you pay the one time fine of ,,,,,,,,,bla bla bla .

I LMAO and reboot with a USB and zero the drive with dd ,,,,,,,install Kubuntu ,,,,,,it's siting in the corner now pluged to the TV so the wife can have her amazon prime in big screen and has been for a few years now


VINNY

[Tom_ZeCat]

O ,,,,, do do it

it may take a bit longer than you think however ..........at least 2 days .

you should be good on your wifi .

IDK exactly where to find it ,,,,,,,,I have never gotten one of those "ransomware" infections myself.

However someone a friend of mines friend new had a box he really wanted gone .......I sead I'll take it , and did .
it had win7 and one of those as soon as it starts you get a big full screen FBI logo's and text saying you have been caught with child porn and your files are frozen unless you pay the one time fine of ,,,,,,,,,bla bla bla .

I LMAO and reboot with a USB and zero the drive with dd ,,,,,,,install Kubuntu ,,,,,,it's siting in the corner now pluged to the TV so the wife can have her amazon prime in big screen and has been for a few years now


VINNY

I've got the project going. It's already infected with some crap named PCKeeper. I found it by googling "Russian sluts" + "need to download". When it offered to install, it didn't even use correct grammar. It appears to be a rogue antivirus product. It keeps popping up a "Microsoft Tech Expert" bot that supposedly explains what's wrong with my computer. Of course uninstall doesn't work. I've got some fake documents on here (docx files) and some fake family jpegs. It hasn't encrypted any of them. It just keeps bugging me to pay for a subscription. Gonna wipe and try again.

[oshunluvr]

Boy, you are a glutton for punishment. I think if I had to go through the backup protocol you use, I'd give up computing.

Seems weird to say this but; Good luck getting infected!

Oh, and if you think for a second we're believing you googled "Russian Sluts" because you're doing research on malware, your fooling yourself. Right...we believe you...uhuh...sure...

[vinnywright]

Oh, and if you think for a second we're believing you googled "Russian Sluts" because you're doing research on malware, your fooling yourself. Right...we believe you...uhuh...sure...

ROTFLMFAO,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, ,,, ya that's right.

VINNY

[Qqmike]

Maybe try Chinese sluts. That's probably not much help, but it's all I can think of lately at the moment.

[Tom_ZeCat]

Boy, you are a glutton for punishment. I think if I had to go through the backup protocol you use, I'd give up computing.

Seems weird to say this but; Good luck getting infected!

Oh, and if you think for a second we're believing you googled "Russian Sluts" because you're doing research on malware, your fooling yourself. Right...we believe you...uhuh...sure...

LOL. Smartass.

I wiped and reinstalled Win 7 and tried again. This time I've gotten infected by some BS prog that supposedly helps you find the perfect Android apps and another one that supposedly gets you free wifi. Plus, there's yet another fake antivirus. Three infections this time, but still no ransomware. Maybe I'll wipe and try again.

[vinnywright]

you may have luck if you add a bare share type file sharing app http://filehippo.com/download_bearshare_lite/

and start DL'ing those kinds of things ,,,,as I recall this was a virus honey pot .

VINNY

[oshunluvr]

LOL. Smartass.

Guilty as charged!

[woodsmoke]

LOL lotsa fun!

You are a guy after my own heart m'boy! Arrrrggg that ye are!

A short, as in short, story as to how I got into internet security.

The VERY first time that I got onto "cable" internet.............I mean the very SECOND..........that I fired up "internet" using WinMe......imagine THAT os! lol, actually I kinda liked the OS...had to manually install usb but another story...

The very SECOND I got on.............a BIG GRAY BOX APPEARED offering............

A MALE ENHANCEMENT PRODUCT!! :0

I didn't close anything I just pushed the reset button...........simple as that....

and then called my cable provider........told the guy............ A LOCAL GUY........I later found the actual building, about ten blocks from the house....

and he.............LAUGHED!!! :0

And then he said something like......."You are the FIRST person to call about that!! It has been around for about six months now.....it is a Microsoft test to see if people will click it AND what they will do after clicking it"

WHAT!! I replied!!

He replied something like: "It's ok, if you actually click a couple of the buttons then it will self destruct because the place you are sent is a Microsoft redirect and they are trying to find out what people will do with it when they finally come out with a firewall/malware thing of their own. So, here's what you do. Just forget the popup and get on the net and search for "MYIE-5" It is the old internet explorer that is now deprecated and it was purchased by a guy and he redesigned it.....it is free...........(MY EMPHASIS) ...It is what we use HERE!!"

AND THAT.............is why I originally came to know that Microsith is a predatory company.

That then lead me to "CastleCops" which was at the forefront of the whole internet security thing they had free versions of McAffee, etc.

They also had a very large group of online people that volunteered 24/7/365 to clean malware etc. from people's computers. So, I joined the crowd......what a raucous bunch....

There was one time when a woman actually had a guy in a car driving around that had taken control of her mouse on her laptop and after hours of work, I just sat and watched the stream, they finally told her to pull the plug and battery and take it to a local guy. Fascinating to behold... that was they day of hackers beating hackers in the raw, real time....fascinating to behold...

Toward the end the spreadsheet of threats vs how to fight them was just..........massive...........

But, there was SO MUCH denial of service that the guy, and his wife, who were running it finally had to just throw in the towel.

I, PERSONALLY thought that at least some of the DOS came from the startup commercial anti-whatever programs were doing it to get marketshare...dunno...

But, next step was Linux and I've never looked back! lol

anyway......... HAVE FUN!!!

woodsmoke

[Tom_ZeCat]

you may have luck if you add a bare share type file sharing app http://filehippo.com/download_bearshare_lite/

and start DL'ing those kinds of things ,,,,as I recall this was a virus honey pot .

VINNY

That's a good idea. I remember I had to be really careful back in the days when I used LimeWire. Some sleazebags created software that would take whatever search term you typed in and rename their malware files that and put up for you to download. To know what was BS, I would type in gibberish like "Blubbagugga the Whoopta" and then I would get results like:
Blubbagugga the Whoopta (full album)
Blubbagugga the Whoopta (new upload)

I'm going to try your suggestion.