Windows 7: Ransomware encrypts files claiming SOPA piracy charges

The latest iteration of ransomware proclaims to be from the "Stop Online Piracy Automatic Protection System".

SOPA, you might recall, was a controversial US law that was widely opposed by internet users earlier this year. It never became law.



It goes on to tell you that your computer is on a "S.O.P.A. IP Black List" because it was used to download copyright infringing materials, child pornography or illegal software.

The malware encrypts all of your data files and holds them hostage, offering to decrypt them if you pay a fee to the criminals.

Not satisfied with just showing the fake FBI note, the criminals behind one of the many ransomware campaigns going on at the moment are trying to assault the users' other senses as well.

According to Trend Micro researchers, the malware is delivered along with a non-malicious MP3 file that gets copied in the current directory of the malware, and it repeatedly informs users that their system is blocked because of a certain violation on the federal law they committed.