Number: IRCNE2014092303
Date: 2014-09-01
According to “techworld”, new figures from Dell SecureWorks suggest that the current market leader, CryptoWall, hasn’t been as profitable as the infamous CryptoLocker despite infecting more PCs and holding hostage a staggering 5.25 billion files.
In December 2013, CryptoWall had infected at least 250,000 systems in its first 100 days out of an eventual total somewhere north of half a million at the point its distribution network was finally blitzed by Operation Tovar in May. Exactly how many victims eventually paid up is unknown but Dell’s original estimate was around 0.4 percent.
“Additionally, it is likely the CryptoWall operators do not have a sophisticated ‘cash out’ and laundering operation like the Gameover Zeus crew [which distributed CryptoLocker].”Nevertheless, CryptoWall had still managed to encrypt a staggering 5.25 billion files, the firm said.
It’s worth remembering that although less successful than CryptLocker, since appearing in CryptoWall (also known as CryptoDefense) has managed to infect PCs in every country on earth.
- 3