In ransomware attacks, the hackers will get into victims’ computers and lock all of their data. They provide victims with the decryption key which will unlock all the data again. But in this case, the German programmer Tobias Fromel who was fallen prey for ransomware attack retaliated by releasing 3000 decryption keys along with free software. This revenge hack isn’t legal and Fromel announced the same in his post on Bleeping Computer. He also added that he isn’t the bad guy here.
Fromel is Announcing About Decryption Keys and Software on Twitter
Mushtik Ransomware members have messed up with the QNAP’s network-attached storage devices since the end of September. The accounts with weak passwords are the main target of these hackers. They started encrypting files and demanded a ransom of 0.09 BTC which is 700 USD. As of now, Fromel may not suffer ramifications because of this revenge. But according to ZDNet, authorities may have already known about this situation. But Fromel is still on twitter notifying the victims about his decryption software along with the keys. People are admiring his work and are sending tips too. Ransomware attacks have increased exponentially lately and the FBI released a public announcement recently. FBI is advising victims not to pay and restore their files as it is nothing less than encouraging these kinds of attacks. But this didn’t stop people from giving in and three hospitals have paid the hackers to unlock their compromised systems. The decryption software released by Fromel isn’t working on ARM-based QNAP systems and Emisoft released its own decryption software.
