Thanks for that, I checked and found that my email was pawned, the email was exactly as described- the question is what do I do now? Do you pay?

Whats Pienaar site?

Happened to a lawyer buddy of mine. His secretary opened a dodgy email and his hard drives were locked. He had to pay 1 bitcoin to get access to his data again.

Your story doesn't sound like a data ransom but rather a blackmail attempt due to dodgy videos of yourself on the device?

One of the reasons why I closed all my social media accounts because of crap like this. I think there was a gentleman with a similar problem some time ago.

That is exactly what it is! Must pay or he sends dodgy video to all my contacts he says he has downloaded off my iPad . Do you pay or not? Would be serious if what he says will do happens? Can you trust these guys or do they just keep asking for more? Help please.

On 2018-07-16 11:20:50 martinm said:
That is exactly what it is! Must pay or he sends dodgy video to all my contacts he says he has downloaded off my iPad . Do you pay or not? Would be serious if what he says will do happens? Can you trust these guys or do they just keep asking for more? Help please.

What video did you have of yourself on your ipad?

No you cant trust them. If you pay, they are just going to come back for more.

Witbiy and Flare02 have sent you a pm. Cheers

hi martinm glad i could be of assistance

i will respond to your pm but something for the peeps on this open forum to also share the mail you got versus a ransomware demand is 2 very different things.

what burfi describes is a ransomware attack in which a virus is created and sent via mail usually the primary channel to victims on email once the attachment is opened a the code is triggered to run and encrypt all files with a certain file encryption method sometimes multiple methods are used to make it difficult for decryption of data or time consuming this is where the ransom part comes in, by doing so making the user desperate for the data back you end up paying in the hope that the decryption key is given to you and you can go on your merry way to restoring all your data back to normal. This is not the case always once you have paid they will keep holding you to ransom and you may never get your data back. Its happened to several companies in SA over the past months and some big names too.

Although in your case I gave you a hint of what your mail is about "bluff" that which you got is just a mere scare tactic/ blackmail to make you want to pay the ransom.

Apart from being in the infosec/it world, I have had an instance where my mail accounts where trying to be hacked unfortunately for the guy i managed his exact location on the other side of the world to exact GPS coordinates and turned the tables on him a bit by having some fun of my own.....hehehe

lets painfully say all his social media, mailboxes got spammed from tons of mailing lists he magically signed up for and his phone also started doing weird things such as getting bulk sms from himself and unknown sources......funny thing these "smart phones"
To the point where an email went out to him asking if he wants to try hacking my account again, dont think he ever tried that again.

Haha that is brilliant! Flare02 I'm gonna hire you next time I get into shit. lol