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'FBI' ransomware targets OS X users
Windows users are no longer alone: makers of ransomware—malware that locks victim computers and demands money to return control to the user—are now targeting computers running Mac OS X as well.
Cyber-criminals have ported the latest ransomware to OS X by exploiting a feature in the browser that allows it to restore from a crash, security researcher Graham Cluley said.
"This scam is unfortunately all too efficient and is not going away anytime soon," Cluley said.
Cluley said the attack begins with a ransomware page claiming to be a warning from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The page claims the prospective victim had been "viewing or distributing prohibited Pornographic content."
It said that if the user wants to unlock his or her machine and "avoid other legal consequences," he or she should pay a "release fee of $300.”
Force-quitting the browser will result in the the same ransomware page being shown when Safari is restarted.
This is due to the browser's “restore from crash” feature, which Cluley said loads backs the last URL visited before the browser closed unexpectedly.
Cluley said users can thwart the trick by clicking on the Safari menu and selecting "Reset Safari." — VC, GMA News
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