Porn Virus Blackmails Victims Over "Copyright Violation"

FishRep writes with this excerpt from the BBC: "A new type of malware infects PCs using file-share sites and publishes the user's net history on a public website before demanding a fee for its removal. The Japanese trojan virus installs itself on computers using a popular file-share service called Winni, used by up to 200m people. It targets those downloading illegal copies of games in the Hentai genre, an explicit form of anime. Website Yomiuri claims that 5,500 people have so far admitted to being infected. The virus, known as Kenzero, is being monitored by web security firm Trend Micro in Japan. Masquerading as a game installation screen, it requests the PC owner's personal details. It then takes screengrabs of the user's web history and publishes it online in their name, before sending an e-mail or pop-up screen demanding a credit card payment of 1,500 yen (£10) to 'settle your violation of copyright law' and remove the webpage."

Sounds like a plan

[BadAnalogyGuy]

So you call the cops, transfer the money, find out who is on the other end, have the law and credit card agencies come down hard on them.

Unless you're afraid of getting caught with porn...

Re:Sounds like a plan

[thijsh]

That's the problem with blackmail, it only works if you're uptight about it... I don't give a fuck. I have hentai in my porn collection, my girlfriend and friends know and I even shared it on the LAN at the student dorm (and kept stats that said over 50% of people accessed it)... Hentai is just like masturbation: everyone is doing it but no-one want's to admit it. With the difference that masturbation is a gift for life and hentai is just a thing to check out once in your life. :-)

Posting non-AC for obvious reasons.

Winny?

[EdZ]

Serves them right for using an ancient system (two generations behind, PD (Perfect Dark) via Share). This is like someone still using, say, Kazaa, and being surprised there are fake files.

Re:Wonderful reporting courtesy of the BBC

[Anonymous Coward]

And I get a kick out of things like this popping up when I keep having to hear from japaenese about how viruses/malware is a foreigner-only thing the same way copyright infringement is a foreigner-only thing. So this kind of thing is like a double slap in their face. :)

Not that they'd ever let themselves believe a single japanese person was involved in any of this.

I couldn't help but think...

[augi01]

Why would an individual care if his or her browsing history is published online? Employers search for Facebook or MySpace pages because these websites contain 'proof' that you behaved in some way or other (e.g. pictures), but a browsing history does not tell them anything other than, 'a computer in my household has accessed these websites at some point in time or other,' which can easily be accounted for by explaining that a friend pranked your machine with tentacle porn or your children were just really excited about Misty and Ash Ketchum.

But perhaps the real emphasis is on the following, from TFA:

A fictitious organization calling itself the ICPP copyright foundation issues threatening pop-ups and letters after a virus searches the computer hard drive for illegal content - regardless of whether it actually finds anything. It offers a "pretrial settlement" fine of $400 (£258) payable by credit card, and warns of costly court cases and even jail sentences if the victim ignores the notice.

If an individual knows that they have illegal content on their HDD they might opt for this $400.00 settlement, as past copyright infringement suits have cost individuals hefty sums.

Re:The MAFIAA

[Dachannien]

Actually, there's some malware going around that presents a popup purporting to be from the content industry that demands $400 in restitution for having copyright-infringing movies and music on your computer. No, it's not the ??AA actually doing it, but it's certainly possible.

http://msmvps.com/blogs/spywaresucks/archive/2010/04/12/1763297.aspx [msmvps.com]

It doesn't publish your name and details

[petes_PoV]

... it publishes the name and details that you enter in it's registration form.

This sounds to me like a possible double-blackmail, where a person deliberately downloads this trojan, enters the personal details of someone they dislike, or wish to extract money from, or wants to get fired and threatens or actually hits . Off goes the personal info, plus whatever you've seeded that machine's surfing history with.

The obvious third phase is then fro the victim to sue the publishing website for defamation, since you (the blackmailer) never entered that information and have been misrepresented by the false information they've published. Sounds like everybody wins!