Media Coverage

Dallas-based cybersecurity software developer Trend Micro is taking aim at the ransomware market, saying yesterday that it has launched a new, free hotline to help victims of ransomware, and also rolled out a number of free tools to help remove ransomware from computers.

“But if there’s one lesson from the survey that everyone should take and act on right away, it’s that the ransomware threat should be met with a full reevaluation of your organizations countermeasures to see if they really are matching the latest threats out there,” Trend Micro explained in a blog post.

First, Trend Micro reported last week that the so-called “Godless” mobile malware can target any Android running Android 5.1 (Lollipop) or earlier.

Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are constantly occurring and are complex transactions, often involving entities from around the globe: from bankers, lawyers and investors facilitating the deal, to the actual business owners and stakeholders who benefit.

A similar revision of the balance between victim and kidnapper took place following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, points out Christopher Budd, global threat communications manager at Trend Micro. The terrorists who hijacked multiple planes broke with the traditional hostage-for-ransom model, to say the least. Their actions inspired a no-tolerance attitude toward hijackings that took negotiation or ransom out of the picture.

The information age and impact of globalization have thrust new demands upon the United States’ national security and public safety leadership. The need for technological superiority combined with strategic planning in a rapidly changing global environment is paramount to protecting US citizens. However, it is apparent that technological advantage is no guarantee for future success on this “new battlefield.”

Security firm Trend Micro said the malware, dubbed Godless (ANDROIDOS_GODLESS.HRX), targets a set of rooting exploits in its pockets and uses multiple exploits that can target virtually any Android device running Android 5.1 (Lollipop) or earlier.

“Even without counting the ransom itself, organizations affected by ransomware are going to have to deal with the costs of containment, downtime, and recovery,” explains Mark Nunnikhoven, vice president of cloud research at Trend Micro Inc., a global IT security provider with U.S. headquarters in Irving, Texas. “Prevention is best in order to avoid getting to that point where the tough discussion around paying needs to occur.”

As ransomware grows in popularity, TrendMicro researchers said aside from the social engineeringtactics and commercial grade encryption deployed on victims, cyber crooks also use less sophisticated malware routines including deleting shadow copies, using startup modification, using propagation tactics anti-detection mechanisms and other methods that wreak greater havoc when combined, according to a June 16 blog post.

Ransomware is type of malware that criminals use to lock users out of their own files. Once the user is locked out, a ransom note is displayed providing instructions on how to pay the criminal in order to – potentially – regain access to your data.