While cyber criminals using ransomware to encrypt filer on other people’s computers in order to extort money from them is not that uncommon in this day and age, a new brand of malicious software emerged that demands a different kind of payment from its victims.
As anti-malware provider Emsisoft explained in its blog, the ransomware in question, "Ransomwared", promptly tells the victim "You’re Fvcked!!!" while announcing the encryption of the latter’s files, before presenting the following offer: "Show me your t*ts to decrypt it".
The victim is then provided with an email address where they are expected to send images of their breasts in exchange for file recovery.
"We’re not sure whether the threat actor wants bodily parts or birds – but we suspect the former – and nor are we sure how the actor would know whether said bodily parts/birds actually belong to the victim", the company cheekily noted.
However, it appears that acquiescing to such demands won’t be necessary as Emsisoft announced the release of a free decryption tool that would help recover the files without paying the “ransom”.
"The variant was likely created as a prank, but it doesn’t make it any less problematic for those who may be hit by it," Emsisoft threat analyst Brett Callow said in an email to Fast Company.