A Trojan horse that encrypts data files and then demands a ransom has been discovered, after locking a UK user out of her files on her Windows PC.
The virus, dubbed Arhiveus-A (or MayAlert), demands that victims make purchases from one of three online pharmacies in return for a password to unlock files.
The virus gives out a warning that says,” "Your computer caught our software while browsing illegal porn pages. All your documents, text files, databases in the folder My Documents was archived with long password."
"Do not try to search for a program that encrypted your information - it simply does not exist in your hard disk anymore," the Trojan announces, then deletes itself to make its identity harder to detect.
Experts said users might be tempted to pay up to rescue their files, but that only risks receiving more blackmail attempts in the future.
The worry for users is that even the most harmless surfing can cause your PC damage, and result in worrying ‘ransom’ cases like this. It’s time to invest in as much protection spyware and antivirus protection as you can.