CROOKS STICK RANSOM NOTE ON CHOCOLATE FACTORY COMPUTERS “PUT THE CHOCOLATE IN THE BAG AND NOBODY GETS HURT”

Imagine life without chocolate. Forrest Gump’s mum said life is all about a box of chocolates and now it has been proven to be true

Those pesky Eastern Europeans have now used their ransomware to take control of the Cadbury chocolate factory in Tasmania, Australia.

The company has been forced to shut down their systems after being hit by ransomware. In mid-May 300,000 computers were hit by the virus known as WannaCry ransomware.

This attack appears similar this time taking out servers at Russia’s biggest oil company, disrupting operations at Ukrainian banks and shutting down computers at multinational shipping and advertising firms.

When you’re attacked this is what you see.

“If you see this text then your files are no longer accessible, because they have been encrypted,” the message reads.
“Perhaps you are busy looking for a way to recover your files, but don’t waste your time.”
“Please follow the instructions: 1. Send $300 worth of Bitcoin to following address: 1Mz7153HMuxXTur2Rit78mGSdzaAtNbBWX.
“2. Send your Bitcoin wallet ID and personal installation key to e-mail wowsmith123456@posteo.net.
“If you already purchased your key, please enter it below.”

These ransomware guys are so polite and offer better customer support than most IT companies.

Our Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has declared cyber security “the new frontier of warfare.” No, Mister Prime Minister, it’s worse than that. When people from the other side of the world shut down the chocolate factory it’s a real Willy Wonka moment.

If you suffer a chocolate factory “cyber-attack” who do you call? I don’t know his name but I know he’s a Chocoholics Anonymous dropout, he never eats more chocolate than he can lift and his mantra is ‘Money talks but Chocolate sings!’ His weapon of choice, chocolate bullets

He is the Souperhero known as Chocolatier. And he’s the one you call.

He recently said “I’m not in it for the money like those ransom criminals ….but simply put..… everyone has a price, mine is chocolate!

His wife confided in me that she liked her men like her chocolate RICH! Well maybe her RICH male friends can take up a collection and free our chocolate forever.

The Chocolatier’s advice.

Before you open any attachment or click on links:

Check the sender’s address; avoid email overseas, e-mail addresses or domain names not known to you. Keep in mind, your friends or associate’s computer might have been infected with a virus and their e-mail may not be safe.
Check the subject; learn to recognise emails with no subject or keywords that are out of place.
Read the email; look for anything unusual.
Beware of any web links request sign-in with your username and password; Before open any web links, check the URL or web address, for example if you get an email from Ticketek, AGL, Australia Post, Commonwealth Bank…etc. But the link or URL indicates it may take you to another website then do not go there nor supply your login details.

Photo AAP

 

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