Ransomware offers free decryption key to victims if they infect 2 others
Well, it's creative alright. A new ransomware is hitting the web with a twist. It offers its victims a free decryption key if they infect two or more other internet users with the malware that pay the ransom. The malware is called Popcorn Time and like all other ransomware it encrypts files after which it demands a ransom.
Popcorn Time was discovered by security researchers from MalwareHunterTeam who report that victims of the ransomware need to pay 1 Bitcoin ($770) to get their files decrypted reports MyCE:
Users that are unable or don’t want to pay can also opt for another option. If they are able to infect two or more others with the Popcorn Time ransomware, and these victims pay the ransom, then they get a free decryption key.
In order to be eligible, users have to point their victims to the ransomware, hosted the anonymous Tor network, using a specially generated link. If users don’t pay within 7 days, the decryption key is deleted and all files will be lost.
The developers of the ransomware claim that they are a group of computer science students from Syria and that the paid ransom is used to get food, medicine and shelter. They claim that they are forcing victims to pay, “as it’s the only way they can keep living”.
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Don Booze
Posts: 12520
Joined: 2000-05-23
Yeah, no way it's ever going to medicine or food.
Senior Member
Posts: 912
Joined: 2008-07-10
I am not sure if it is better to cry or to laugh.
Though I do not believe these guys have anything to do with being peaceful civilians from Syria, so...
That and they use the same name of the p2p movie streaming service 'Popcorn Time'.
Maybe they want to sit back and watch a movie while waiting for their medicine and food.

Senior Member
Posts: 1661
Joined: 2012-04-30
the way it reads in english, looks more like it comes from east europe/asian region, than from someone that speaks arabic.
Senior Member
Posts: 2032
Joined: 2010-05-26
Lucky for me that i have stored any important stuff on an external HDD that only gets plugged in when it needs to be.
That way they can only shut down my gaming for a few hours because i'd just format that shizzle and even then my games to are backed up on large thumb sticks so i could have my whole system up and running within 2 hours easy.
I to doubt this is what they say it is. Pretending that blackmail is ethical because it's for a good cause guys really. lol
Senior Member
Posts: 586
Joined: 2008-06-20
I am not sure if it is better to cry or to laugh.
Though I do not believe these guys have anything to do with being peaceful civilians from Syria, so...