Report Shows Malware Authors Moving To Extortion

Once a virus, worm or other malware manages to exploit or compromise a vulnerable system, there are plenty of options for the malware author. They could use stealth and create a backdoor that they can use repeatedly to enter the system and steal data, or use the compromised system as a platform for launching attacks against other computers, or use it as a spam-distribution zombie. According to a report from antivirus firm Kaspersky Labs though, the beginning of 2006 has seen a move from the more standard malicious content to direct extortion. Essentially, the malware encrypts or threatens to destroy data, and the malware author holds the data hostage in exchange for payment from the victim.