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An iCloud scam that may be worse than ransomware


RV_

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Read how to avoid this with several methods but all lead to stronger passwords and no duplicates.

 

Excerpt:

 

"Ransomware – malicious software that encrypts your files and then demands payment to unlock them – has become a major scourge of the Windows world.

 

Mac users just had their first brush with such threats last week, with the appearance of the KeRanger ransomware. However, shortly before KeRanger, I encountered a ransomware event in the Mac world far worse than anything seen for Windows.

 

This hack seems to have turned an iMac into an expensive paperweight.

 

A woman named Ericka contacted me, telling me that her Mac was locked by ransomware. At first, I thought this might be one of countless web-based scams out there, pretending to be ransomware, but easy to get rid of.

 

However, there was an added wrinkle: Ericka said her computer was asking for a six-digit code, and that a Russian hacker was asking for payment in exchange for the code. This sounded like more than a simple scam pop-up.

 

From the screenshots she sent me, it soon became clear what had happened. The hacker had somehow gotten access to Ericka’s iCloud account.

 

Using this, he was able to remotely lock her computer using iCloud’s Find My Mac feature, with a ransom message displayed on the screen. (For some reason, the iPhone did not actually end up locked, but displayed the same message.)"

 

It did much more. Read the article, from my MalwareBytes emailed newsletter: https://blog.malwarebytes.org/mac/2016/03/an-icloud-scam-that-may-be-worse-than-ransomware/?utm_source=double-opt-in&utm_medium=email-internal-b2c&utm_campaign=EM-2ndMarch2016newsletter&utm_content=iCloud-ransomware

RV/Derek
http://www.rvroadie.com Email on the bottom of my website page.
Retired AF 1971-1998


When you see a worthy man, endeavor to emulate him. When you see an unworthy man, look inside yourself. - Confucius

 

“Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities.” ... Voltaire

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I have said right from the start the "Cloud" is not a safe place to put your data in. all's it is, putting your data on someone else's hard drive. where you have NO control over how secure it is. Best to always put it on a thumb drive an keep it un connected to a pc. only connect it when your updating it.

2000 Itasca Horizon DP (Got Total During Irma). 

Vice President of Charlotte County Defenders LE MC

http://charlotte.defenderslemc.com/

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I found one of these emails in my junk folder today. Never opened it, just blocked the sender (Hotmail) is my computer still vulnerable?

 

2000 Winnebago Ultimate Freedom USQ40JD, ISC 8.3 Cummins 350, Spartan MM Chassis. USA IN 1SG retired;Good Sam Life member,FMCA ." And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country.  John F. Kennedy 20 Jan 1961

 

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as long as you didn't open up the attachment your still good

Thanks. I seldom open anything in the junk folder, I do hover over the senders name, Hotmail reveals the true email address of the sender.

 

2000 Winnebago Ultimate Freedom USQ40JD, ISC 8.3 Cummins 350, Spartan MM Chassis. USA IN 1SG retired;Good Sam Life member,FMCA ." And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country.  John F. Kennedy 20 Jan 1961

 

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also seeing we on subject of emails.

one big thing to look for , emails that come from friends, family, an the email only contains a link (url). DO NOT click on that email. it has a php extention in it that writes to your address book sends your password to person who made it NOT the sender. an all your contacts will get that email an there password will be stolen.

2000 Itasca Horizon DP (Got Total During Irma). 

Vice President of Charlotte County Defenders LE MC

http://charlotte.defenderslemc.com/

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