Ransomware

[mattyg]

I normally just delete these, But one of my staff members has just received an email. Claiming to have hacked his PC and wanting bitcoin (seen loads of these but).. It lists a load of the family's email addresses and more worryingly a load of his passwords.

It looks like its his kids PC so probably been on a dodgy site and downloaded something.

Is this just a case of Format and reinstall windows

 

[meandu229]

Usually it's just a scare email and they have collated passwords from big password dumps. Chuck the email addresses into haveibeenpwned.com. Pretty common

 

[Mujja]

He should send his family members pictures of himself viewing adult sites, then the hacker has nothing to blackmail him for.

 

[radderfire]

Is this just a case of Format and reinstall windows

What are the passwords for? If it's for online stuff, then a PC may not be compromised, and like has been said, they've just got them from online hacks.

I would run a Windows Defender scan of any potentially compromised PCs. I would change any of the passwords they listed. Then I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[Cyber-Mav]

Doubt its his pc. Usually if he had an account somewhere and they got hacked and data dumped then they email people with the password used for that account on that website that was hacked and try their luck.
Change password if its the same one used on other places

 

[mattyg]

Doubt its his pc. Usually if he had an account somewhere and they got hacked and data dumped then they email people with the password used for that account on that website that was hacked and try their luck.
Change password if its the same one used on other places

Theres about 2 dozen of his passwords and his Mrs schools work email addresses.

Hes checking them all on HiveIbeenpwnd. And running some scans

 

[Vandle]

He should send his family members pictures of himself viewing adult sites, then the hacker has nothing to blackmail him for.

This.
I regularly livestream my self abuse sessions on youtube for this very reason and I thoroughly recommend everyone else does the same.

 

[demonix]

Most of these scammers have just purchased a load of email addresses and passwords off the dark web and are shotgunning emails out to see if someone is stupid enough to pay up even though their claims that they've hacked that persons PC are complete and utter garbage.

Just delete it and move on.

 

[Moley]

The passwords will have been from an old data leak - LinkedIn, Facebook, Myspace and others have been a source of emails and passwords in the past. The 'hacker' has NOT hacked his machine in any way, shape or form, they are just trying it on.

I get these emails several times a year and just ignore them. Tell him to delete and ignore, he doesn't even need to wipe his machine - the email is just chancing it.

Note: I work in the Cybersecurity industry, been at it for 35+ years.