A new malware has emerged from the darkness which has the ability to take control over the system and starts deleting files randomly unless the ransom is paid. A number of security companies have stated that this ransomware is available for sale on the dark web at just $50 with a lifetime’s licence.

This malware is named Stampado which has been spotted on a number of PC round the world. It takes control over the user’s system and asks for a ransom giving about 96 hours for making the payment. If the ransom remains unpaid then it starts deleting random files after completion of every six hours. Stampado works like any other ransomware by scrambling the data on the infected system and asks for payment in return for restoring the data to its original state.

Victims end up paying anything from few pounds to thousands

Ransomware are known to affect millions of systems all around the world. It affects the home computers, business and financial institutions along with other organisation. In simple words it doesn’t discriminate nor does it target any specific set of individuals. Hackers and attackers prefer to target banks, individuals and educational institutions as they are easy target. But the most important thing is that they attempt to solve the matter by themselves without alerting the concerned authorities by paying the ransom amount. Or the data is so important to them that they can’t simply do without it so paying appears to be the logical solution.

Ransomware are simply a serious form of extortion and on should indulge in informing the concerned authorities without delay. The ransom charges made by the Stampado for unlocking the data varies quite a lot as for some users it just few hundred but for business and others it amounts to as much as few thousands.

Cryptoware amounts a huge portion of malware economy

A security firm named Hemidal has stated that cryptoware comes as a bigger portion of the malware economy. Malware creators works continuously to keep bringing new ransomware and malware in the system in order to infect more and more number of users which helps in keeping the money flowing for themselves.

The cryptoware economy works on the same principles as the any other business wherein new and improvised products are released on continuous basis to keep the profits and in this case ransom in flow.

Intel Security has released a report in July this year where they have shown a relatively alarming rise in the volume of ransomware which is available to the hackers. There are about 124 separate variants of the malware which can be easily used by the hackers for their own malicious intent.

The number of ransomware attacks has doubled in the last year as per reports of the FBI which had to deal with more than 2400 complaints. These attacks have resulted in the estimated loss of the $24 million to the infected users.