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You're absolutely right
Kevin,

You're absolutely right. The existence of viruses and trojans and other types of malware is an abomination and I would much rather stand united and obliterate those SOB's that create it in the first place.

Fact is, at this very moment in time and space, they are not going away, as much as we'd like them to. That being said, the majority of infected machines worldwide is the result of lax security efforts by the average everyday user. They simply just want to get on the computer, do their thing and get off the computer and continue with their real lives.

However, just as you are supposed to "drive defensively", so too must you "compute defensively." Like it or not, the average every day user is going to have to start figuring out what these products are and how to optimize them best to their environment. I get waaay too many calls from friends and family asking me to fix their computer when in reality, its malware that infected them and they never even bothered to update the engines or scan their machines on regular basis.

The more people are educated, the less likely they are to be infected. The less infectable machines out there, the less likely these authors are going to succeed. No matter how many times you and I may lecture our friends and family, they simply just don't do it.

Now... based on what I just said, who's going to be a better wake up call to them? You and me? or a $300 threat? Money talks. Multiply that by a bunch of copycatters out there, and the user could be held ransom on a weekly basis.

Again, Kevin. I agree with you. The overall premise of ransomware is just plain wrong. But sometimes we have to use perpetrators' evil tactics against them in order to obliterate them.
Posted by: yyuko@...   Posted on: 03/14/06 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use
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LOL  Maverick Hunter | 03/14/06
Maverick, You are too violent,  BXLE | 03/14/06
thats what my probation officer keeps telling me  Maverick Hunter | 03/14/06
No, that's turn the other CHECK...nt  clifflee | 03/14/06
Too Violent?  stan@... | 03/14/06
Message has been deleted.  jrbeaman | 03/14/06
Message has been deleted.  Wolfie2K3 | 03/14/06
Always backup your work.  osreinstall | 03/14/06
Could be just wiring the money to an offshore account  voska | 03/14/06
Offshore, yes...  Orpheline | 03/14/06
If it is...  cashaww | 03/14/06
That kind of crap is frowned on internationally.  osreinstall | 03/14/06
Yes that is why it is still  Linux User 147560 | 03/15/06
This business model is not a money maker.  osreinstall | 03/15/06
But their criminals wouldn't  Linux User 147560 | 03/15/06
Their police agencies will nail them also.  osreinstall | 03/15/06
This is a good thing  yyuko@... | 03/14/06
Surely you jest...(?)  Stinking Kevin | 03/14/06
You're absolutely right  yyuko@... | 03/14/06
To an extent..  cashaww | 03/14/06
Trail Back to the Authort  lamp299 | 03/14/06
Yes, It Is Good  cyberscan | 03/16/06
Nothin' in life is for free  aheishman@... | 03/14/06
Would this stop it?  schneb | 03/14/06
Yeah, but...  tiedyeguy64 | 03/14/06
You misread the description  NeverLift | 03/14/06
That won't do it!  codeman2925 | 03/14/06
or...  inertman@... | 03/15/06
Didya ever think  timpin1@... | 03/16/06
Brilliant!  s_gamgee | 03/14/06
even if you wired the money  EvilDemonic | 03/14/06
Encryted Files  Bio_nuclear | 03/14/06
rouge files  c-o-b | 03/15/06
Not to mention!!! Ha!  Cayble | 03/14/06
Two-part key  jj4th | 03/14/06
To name a few crazies...  No name specified | 03/14/06
Any money transfer is traceable  danformen@... | 03/14/06
Depending on the country  gardoglee | 03/14/06
Crypt_zip trojan  stargate1121 | 03/14/06
Re: System Restore  yyuko@... | 03/14/06
Crypt_zip trojan  Courlanders | 03/14/06
Never put stuff on your PC you can't afford to lose!  codeman2925 | 03/14/06
tar/gzip/scp  sabayer | 03/14/06
you are missing the point  wageearner | 03/14/06
At least he had the right idea...  bladehawke | 03/14/06
Umm, wait a sec. [text inside]  BlazeEagle | 03/14/06
That isn't reality  george_ou | 03/14/06
That's right, but...  bladehawke | 03/14/06
Now THAT sounds like a real workaround  s_gamgee | 03/14/06
FBI?  timpin1@... | 03/16/06
Some people actually use PSs for business  stan@... | 03/14/06
I assume you mean PCs ...  jrbeaman | 03/14/06
Yes. Just a stupid typo  stan@... | 03/14/06
Business and PC's  bladehawke | 03/14/06
Threats are dynamic, too  Mank_80 | 03/15/06
French Perspective  robapacl@... | 03/14/06
Re: French Perspective  GUI_Hopper | 03/14/06
French?  mck22 | 03/14/06
Isn't John Kerry French?  reynos | 03/14/06
French? - I thought they were banned from here.  jrbeaman | 03/14/06
French??  pris_z | 03/15/06
This is only news because ZDNet is anti-MS  NonZealot | 03/14/06
doesn't always have to be a flame war  corticus | 03/14/06
Definitions of news must vary  bladehawke | 03/14/06
Windows?  timpin1@... | 03/16/06
Actually...  bladehawke | 03/14/06
Hey, Weekly World News rocks!  bbbaldie_z | 04/07/06
say whaaaa?!  psimpsongore | 03/14/06
Either you posted to wrong story...  Monkey_MCSE | 03/14/06
You missed the point.  jrbeaman | 03/14/06
Windows Virus Attacks and Extorts Money!  MacGeek2121 | 03/15/06
Go legit: form an anti-virus company  deepee912 | 03/14/06
Yep ...  preacherx | 03/14/06
fix  roncat@... | 03/14/06
Thanks, but no thanks.  jrbeaman | 03/14/06
Funny  Shelendrea | 03/14/06
Good luck spending the cash!  An_Axe_to_Grind | 03/14/06
heh... NT  reynos | 03/14/06
If we find the writer, can we execute him/her ?  NotRichandFamous | 03/14/06
Fraid so...  ArtMac | 03/14/06
I doubt it, but...  fanjet@... | 03/14/06
Well well well...  ArtMac | 03/14/06
Who are "they"?  michael_t | 03/14/06
Ummm...  ArtMac | 03/14/06
wow...  ArtMac | 03/14/06
And this is another exclusive "feature" of MSwindows.....  michael_t | 03/14/06
Why?  dragonsrightwing | 03/14/06
No need (nt)  s_gamgee | 03/14/06
Don't always have to try and shoot the messenger.  Xbeing | 03/14/06
But zdnet does consistenly fail to mention explicitly the inept OS that was  michael_t | 03/15/06
dumb criminals  livefree | 03/14/06
10-20 years?  yyuko@... | 03/14/06
NOT sad!  s_gamgee | 03/14/06
get spellcheck  jrbeaman | 03/14/06
Why don't _you_ learn _his_ language?  Hugh Jass | 03/14/06
on the flip side of that  Shelendrea | 03/15/06
Yeah, Rent-Free on our money.  jrbeaman | 03/14/06
Convictions  mkm558 | 03/15/06
How can a dump criminal then so easily infiltrate an OS  michael_t | 03/14/06
No infiltration?  bladehawke | 03/14/06
Red and Black Alert! ikisawak has a steamroller!  Pop 3 | 03/14/06
WHUTT?? (NT)  s_gamgee | 03/15/06
Re:Trojan Cryzip Extorts  Ronspruell | 03/15/06
We'll all be paying this ransom soon enough...  sheng.long@... | 03/15/06
Huh?? SP's are free[text]  BlazeEagle | 03/17/06
Nothing New, Look at  just1vet | 03/15/06
Why pay when you are backed up.  Tundra Gregg | 03/15/06
who would call police anyway  xcrmnl | 03/16/06
NO!!!! I'd simply reformat...  Betelgeuse58 | 03/16/06
Reading many of these posts is great for humor!  Linux User 147560 | 03/16/06
The virus author must have got the idea from MS DRM.  JonathonDoe | 03/16/06
why not!  prdigalkid@... | 03/20/06
This story is still cracking me up .... another unique  michael_t | 03/23/06

What do you think?

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