Blog-About-The-Web

First Ransomware for Android OS Updated

2014-07-25T05:25:00.000-07:00

ITWorld reports that ransomware known as Simplelocker has been recently updated to target more people and to be more functional in its attacks. Simplelocker is a malicious program that encrypts certain files on Android operating systems and demands money for decryption.

Simplelocker spreads primarily trough porn sites as a trojan. It infects computers by pretending to be a media player that has to be installed to play some videos. When it is installed, it performs its actual function, which is to encrypt user’s files. It also communicates with a command-and-control server through the Tor network for anonymity which makes it hard to trace the communication.
It was previously announced that Simplelocker is ‘the first true crypto-ransomware for android devices.’ There were programs that pretended to be encryption ransomware for Android before it; however Simplelocker was the first mobile payment virus for Android to actually encrypt user’s files. According to CM, Simplelocker itself is an evolved version of Cryptolocker, which is a trojan ransomware for MS Windows. The earlier version of Simplelocker could be considered to have been the test version or a proof-of-concept of ransomware for Android powered cellphones.

Previously, after getting into a computer, it would give its users ransom notes in Russian, thus reducing its reach to potential victims. The fact that it demanded its users to pay in Ukrainian currency suggests that it mostly targeted Android users from eastern Europe. This has changed in the new version: it now gives its users a message in English that is supposedly a note from the FBI. The message states that illegal pornographic material was found on the user’s device and that he must pay a fine of US$300. It also claims that the device would be unlocked only when the ransom is paid, however there is no certainty that this would actually happen, as Simplelocker does not have a built-in verification function.

Something else that is new in the updated version is that, while it used to lock only images and documents that are in the SD card in its previous version, it is now able to encrypt the user's back up files. It does this by locking archive files that Androids back-up tools create. This makes it much harder for users to restore the encrypted files.

It should be mentioned however, that Simplelocker is not hard to defeat. It was discovered that the program relies on a master key that is in the code itself, which makes it easy to dig it out. This is one of the features of the android ransomware that has not changed in the updated version. More tech-savvy users can do this manually by themselves, while those who are not that knowledgeable in this field can ask for the help of a web security company to get the decryption key.

FoxyLyrics

2014-07-17T03:27:00.000-07:00

FoxyLyrics is a freeware application that supposedly finds lyrics of a song and displays them alongside a music video on youtube. It is a new program in a set of similar browser extensions such as Boby Lyrics, LyricsMonkey, LyricsKid and others. Although it may seem like a useful tool to some, this app is actually classified as adware, and it is best to remove it from your computer.

As you noticed, an unending stream of annoying ads has started to appear after you installed the FoxyLyrics. The Terms of Service states that, when using the program, the user agrees to have ads displayed as pop-ups and pop-unders, banners, coupons etc., so you have probably missed this step when installing the software. It should be also mentioned that unless you have willingly downloaded FoxyLyrics from its official website, you have installed it without knowing it with some kind if shareware. Which is why it is advisable to always review the license agreement and every step of the installation to see what you are agreeing to and what else you may be bringing in to your computer.

FoxyLyrics

In addition to being extremely annoying, the aforementioned ads may also be dangerous. They are created by third parties and FoxyLyrics is not responsible for their content, so you might be directed to websites that contain malware threats if you intentionally or accidentally click on them. The ads may also be used to collect information on your browsing habits, to detect your IP address, to find out what operating system you use or what is your internet service provider, etc. This information is later used to create personalized ads. Thus, if you want to avoid threats and do not want to expose your information, removal of FoxyLyrics is advisable.

As FoxyLyrics is compatible with more than one web browser, other browsers on your computer might also have the add-on installed on them. You can easily remove them from your browsers by tweaking their settings, however you will need to remove it from your computer as well. You can find instructions on how to remove Foxy lyrics from your computer below. However this might not completely eliminate all the malware that you may have caught, so it is advisable to perform a scan of your computer with a spyware and malware removal tool, such as Spyhunter. It will also protect you from threats like this in the future.

Instructions on how to manually remove FoxyLyrics from your computer

Windows XP

Open the Start menu and go to Control Panel.
Open Add or Remove Programs and find FoxyLyrics in the list.
Mark it and click Remove/Uninstall.

Windows Vista and 7

Open the Start menu and go to Control Panel.
Open Add or Remove Programs and find FoxyLyrics in the list.
Mark it and click Remove/Uninstall.

Windows 8

Move the mouse cursor to the bottom right corner of the desktop.
In the Charm bar, go to Control Panel.
Open Uninstall a program and find FoxyLyrics in the list.
Mark it and click the Uninstall button.

Zuckerberg Seeks World-Wide Connectivity

2014-07-10T05:53:00.002-07:00

In a recent editorial published in the Wall Street journal, facebook creator and chief Mark Zuckerberg outlined a vision in which everyone in the whole world have equal opportunities to connect to the internet. According to him, ideally the world wide web should be like other basic services such as the 911 line which can be used for free even if you don’t have a data plan on your phone. This would mean making the internet easily affordable to everyone in any place of the world. According to Zuckerberg, “connecting everyone is one of the fundamental challenges of our generation”.

In the report Zuckerberg claims that expanding connectivity to the whole world would be a major factor for the progress of humanity. The internet is today the basis of the economy which he describes as knowledge economy, and getting connected would mean being able to participate in it. The internet is a major driver of economic growth in developing countries, and, according to a study that Zuckerberg cites, expanding connectivity to these areas would create 140 million jobs and lift 160 people out of poverty.

As if echoing the idea of the ‘global village’, Zuckerbeg mentions an another aspect of a fully connected world: according to him, “perhaps the most important change might be a new global sense of community.” Creating a possibility for the whole world to connect would make the voices of the other two-thirds of the world population heard.

In the editorial Zuckerberg mentions statistics according to which currently only about one third of the world population is able to connect to the internet. The developing world is obviously the least connected: according to statistics, only 31 percent of its population are internet users, when 77 percent are connected in the developed world; only 16 percent of the population are connected in Africa. Zuckerberg also mentions that internet connectivity is growing by less then 9 percent every year. This slow growth and the large unconnected parts of the world population are not necessarily due to technical inability to make the connection available to them. According to Zuckerberg, “almost 90% of the world's population already lives within range of an existing cellular network”. Thus, in addition to expanding the range of networks to 100 percent, the goal should also be universal affordability.

According to Zuckerberg, these ideas are not just utopian visions. He claims a goal like this is not impossible to achieve and things are already being done. He mentions Internet.org – a joint global project by facebook, Samsung, Nokia, Ericsson, Opera, Mediatek, Ericsson, Qualcomm, non-profit organizations and experts. The effort seeks to “explore solutions in major opportunity areas: affordability, efficiency and business models” and to “remove barriers and give billions of people the power to connect.” Part of the project is the Connectivity Lab at facebook, which does research into new technologies that would make the connection even of remote areas of the world possible.

In a report on the state of the project, Zuckerberg also mentions some results that have already been achieved in partnership with Globe and TIGO, such as increasing the number of people using internet by 50 % in Paraguay and doubling the number of people using mobile data in the Philipines by giving people free access to apps, making it easier to register for a data plan and to get a loan for their plan. According to the facebook creator, all though these early results are indeed promising, there is still a lot of work to be done for a truly global connectivity to be achieved.

Delta-Homes Browser Hijacker

2014-07-04T06:49:00.002-07:00

Delta-Homes is a browser hijacker that changes the homepage and the default search provider of your internet browser. Delta-Homes itself does not steal your credit card information or your logins. It is dangerous because, after forcing itself as your default search engine, it might lead you to web sites that contain various different kinds of threats. Thus it is highly recommended to remove Delta-Homes search provider from your system.

Delta-Homes is a new parasite in the series of similar browser hijackers such as Qone8.com, qvo6.com, nationzoom.com, PortaldoSites and others. It may be directly related to these, as it is probably made by the same group of criminals. Delta-Homes infects computers in the usual ways – it might either come through freeware that people download, or through an email attachment, etc. It downloads and installs itself automatically, without your knowledge.


Delta-Homes browser hijacker

As with the other browser hijackers, in addition to giving you unreliable search results, it might also collect information about your browsing sessions, which is later used to generate ads that appear as annoying pop-ups. Clicking on them might also be dangerous. The Delta-Homes search engine handily displays quick links to Facebook, Youtube, Walmart, Linkedln and other popular sites, however they also might lead you to places that you did not intend to go to. Experts have also discovered that Delta-Homes uses google and other well known search engines to give you search results, which is suspicious in and of itself, as it is unclear why would a search provider do that.

As the search engine itself does not appear to be harmful, a lot of users who haven’t heard of this type of malware continue to use it, bringing irreversible damage to their systems. Thus it is highly recommended that you remove Delta-Homes from your browser without any procrastination. You can try to get rid of the browser hijacker manually; however this method might not eliminate all the other parasites that you may have caught through Delta-Homes. This is why if you want to be completely sure that your computer is clean, you should also use a legitimate anti-malware tool such as Spyhunter to perform a quick scan of your computer. You can find instructions on how to perform the manual removal below.

How to remove Delta-Homes from your browser:

Internet explorer:

Load the browser.
Press Alt+X and select Internet Options.
Open Advanced, click Reset.
Select Delete personal settings, click Reset again.
After the reset is complete, click Close.

Mozilla Firefox:

Load the browser.
Press Alt+T and select Internet Options.
Under the General tab, delete the URL in the Home Page box.
Click OK.

Google Chrome:

Load the browser.
Press Alt+X and select Settings.
Under On startup mark Open a specific set of pages.
Click Set pages, delete the URL and click OK.
Under Appearance mark Show Home button and click Change next to New Tab page.
Mark Use the New Tab page or change the given URL into your desired one.
Click OK.

Qone8.com

2014-07-03T03:27:00.002-07:00

If your browser has become significantly slower and its search engine and the homepage have suddenly, without you actually wanting it, changed into qone.com, a browser hijacker has gotten into your system. It is a type of malware that modifies browser settings without the user’s knowledge. Its goal is to increase the traffic of the websites to which you are being directed, thus increasing ad revenue for the owner of the website. It can also lead to irreversible damage to your system – which is why you should take immediate action to remove this malware.

As with other browser hijackers, Qone8 has most likely been downloaded into your system bundled with freeware, and installed without your knowledge and permission when you installed it. The new qone8 search engine, which promotes itself as a product of Shu Mu Ching Technology limited, might appear handy at first; however it is actually a great threat to your system. It may redirect you to third-party web pages that contain other parasites or you might be simply lead to them by clicking the sponsored search results. There is also a possibility that your browser sessions might be recorded in order to generate adds which, in addition to being annoying, might carry other malware threats.

qone8 search engine

Thus it is recommended that you take immediate action in order to avoid bad consequences. You can try to remove the treat manually by tweaking your browser settings. To do that, just follow the instructions given below. However, as this does not give you a 100 percent guarantee that it will make your system completely clean, so you should also check your system with a legitimate anti-mallware tool, such as Spyhunter free scanner. Also, if you want to avoid similar threats in the future, you should avoid downloading software from dubious sources and review all the steps when installing any kind of software.

How to remove the qone8 browser hijacker:

Instructions for Internet Explorer:

After launching the browser, press Alt+T.
Select Manage Add-ons and go to Search providers.
Right-click on Qone8.com, select Remove and close the window.
Tap Alt+T again and go to Internet Options.
Go to the General tab and open Home page.
Remove or change the given URL and click OK.

Instructions for Google Chrome:

After launching the browser, press Alt+F.
Go to Settings and select On startup.
Mark Open a specific page or set of pages and click Set pages.
Remove or change the given URL and click OK.
Go to search and press Manage search engines.
Remove the Qone8 search provider (X) and choose an another one.
After setting the new search provider as default, click Done.

Instructions for Mozilla Firefox:

After launching the browser, press Alt+T.
Go to Options and select the General tab.
Remove or change the given URL in the Home Page box and click OK.
Click the icon on the left side of the Search box and hit Manage Search Engines.
Choose the Qone8 search engine and click Remove.
Click OK.