'Your Windows Has Been Banned' malware makes an unwelcome return

[hacker7]

'Your Windows Has Been Banned' malware makes an unwelcome return

 

 

 

 

 

"Your Windows Has Been Banned" is a nasty of piece of malware that first surfaced in 2016. It locks your computer screen and displays a message stating "This PC has been banned for terms of use violations."

It doesn’t go into specifics for the ban -- because, obviously, it’s not a real ban -- but simply says that your PC has been locked in order to "protect the Windows service and its members," adding "Microsoft does not provide details about specific PC bans."

In order to unlock the system, the malware originally stated the victim should call technicians purporting to be from Microsoft and buy a code to unlock the screen, and purchase a new Windows license.

Thankfully, Michael Gillespie, creator of ID Ransomware, discovered that you could unlock the infected computer free of charge simply by entering "6666666666666666" or "XP8BF-F8HPF-PY6BX-K24PJ-RAA00" as the code.

It would have been nice if that was the end of the matter, but it’s hard to keep a good malware scam down, and "Your Windows Has Been Banned" has returned once more, this time with an even more illiterate lock screen, demanding $50 in Bitcoin to unlock the infected Windows operating system.

The new error message kindly gives victims two choices -- they can pay the $50 to buy a new Windows key (or $200 in some greedier variations), or have all data deleted and the PC rendered unusable. It’s a classic scareware tactic, and one that unfortunately the less technically astute -- and of course the elderly -- could well fall for, even though it should be clear from the spelling mistakes and bad grammar that this nothing more than a scam.

The trick to avoiding malware like this is, as always, to never open suspicious files, or click on mysterious or dubious links. You should also protect your system with a decent, up to date anti-malware application.

 

 

Source

https://betanews.com/2017/09/14/your-windows-has-been-banned-malware-makes-an-unwelcome-return/

[virge]

Funny, if Microsoft did this for real, there would be a major class action lawsuit and a huge migration to Linux, Mac or Chromebook I have seen similar popups in Chrome with fake Microsoft security alters, the voice is a robot and it sounds horrible. There used to be a fake popup years ago with the FBI warning logo was also total nonsense. 

 

This is why you should always, always, always open files you are not sure of from a virtual environment. 

[LeeSmithG]

Hopefully Norton are on this quick.

[Reefa]

Where is the link....

 

Quote

Any content copied from elsewhere should include a source link.

 

guidelines

[steven36]

10 hours ago, virge said:

Funny, if Microsoft did this for real, there would be a major class action lawsuit and a huge migration to Linux, Mac or Chromebook I have seen similar popups in Chrome with fake Microsoft security alters, the voice is a robot and it sounds horrible. There used to be a fake popup years ago with the FBI warning logo was also total nonsense. 

 

This is why you should always, always, always open files you are not sure of from a virtual environment. 

Not if you Pirate windows and they ban you can't sue Microsoft you would get counter sued and be the one paying in the end . And  only Technophiles open everything in a virtual environment I never have and it never made no difference just pure paranoia on a users part.. unless they are exposing there self too malware for testing   only time I use a VM  is too test out another OS or software i don't want on my system . I don't go around looking for malware ether though. 

 

Anything could  have malware  and you could think its safe by testing in VM  many malwares  are not known yet  and  hide in virtual environments and  then you install it anyway because you  think it safe but the human mind can't detect malware  so a week latter it comes out in the news you're infected, and most AVs cant detect 0days tell after they get the signatures and then there no longer 0days  . check out some videos  on it  and you will see how vulnerable you really are.

 

Quote

According to the Merkle The attack mechanism shows that novice PC users are the key targets of attackers since only beginners would fall prey to such a trap given the amateurish treatment given to the malware, which becomes pretty obvious with the second warning statement where the attacker talks about deleting all the data and rendering the computer unusable for future use. Naturally, a company like Microsoft would never demand payment in cryptocurrency nor would it suggest making the PC unusable.

 

Someone like me would never fall a scam like this  It's Malware for noobs . 

 

BSidesSF 2017 - Bypassing malware analysis sandboxes is easy

[hacker7]

2 hours ago, Reefa said:

Where is the link....

 

 

guidelines

Edited!

[steven36]

If you want be able too test for malware properly  you need too use a  old PC you care nothing  about  that has nothing  of any value on it . So you can reformat  it after you're done testing . That guy above in that video  teaches a course in Anti-Malware and the 1st thing he does is give his students Malware samples that cant be detected  In VM encase they try too cheat and use a VM they will fail  his course .

 

But Ive always known this that using  VM is not good as testing in a real machine  but I'm not a malware tester but I been testing software for almost  16 years  now and i  do all my testing on my  old  test PC and put my other OS on other drives on the same PC I've not even installed a VM since 2014  no need I dual boot.

 

I use too test  and post Web Scene and real scene releases every day and i came up with many workarounds  on how too get around software protection on updates and even helped some really good reverse engineers  test there programs . But I've not really cared about doing this since 2011 now i just test apps i  use or want too try I'm no longer a crack pusher and in 2015 found a whole new world with Linux were i can test lots of different software  that is free to began with.

 

If you so scared of cracks and things you thank you need a virtual environment  you need to buy you're software and still you could catch malware or a virus this mostly comes from lack of knowledge  and all my years of testing cracks i only got a hold of one crack that was exploited and  only two Antivirus on VT  flagged it  but my firewall  and Winpatrol  caught it even though my Antivirus failed me . That was years ago and today i don't really give a shit i don't post cracks too the public  and i don't pay bills or have anything  a hacker would want on my test PC . What they going do steal my crack folder  ?

[hacker7]

On 9/20/2017 at 4:40 AM, steven36 said:

If you want be able too test for malware properly  you need too use a  old PC you care nothing  about  that has nothing  of any value on it . So you can reformat  it after you're done testing . That guy above in that video  teaches a course in Anti-Malware and the 1st thing he does is give his students Malware samples that cant be detected  In VM encase they try too cheat and use a VM they will fail  his course .

 

But Ive always known this that using  VM is not good as testing in a real machine  but I'm not a malware tester but I been testing software for almost  16 years  now and i  do all my testing on my  old  test PC and put my other OS on other drives on the same PC I've not even installed a VM since 2014  no need I dual boot.

 

I use too test  and post Web Scene and real scene releases every day and i came up with many workarounds  on how too get around software protection on updates and even helped some really good reverse engineers  test there programs . But I've not really cared about doing this since 2011 now i just test apps i  use or want too try I'm no longer a crack pusher and in 2015 found a whole new world with Linux were i can test lots of different software  that is free to began with.

 

If you so scared of cracks and things you thank you need a virtual environment  you need to buy you're software and still you could catch malware or a virus this mostly comes from lack of knowledge  and all my years of testing cracks i only got a hold of one crack that was exploited and  only two Antivirus on VT  flagged it  but my firewall  and Winpatrol  caught it even though my Antivirus failed me . That was years ago and today i don't really give a shit i don't post cracks too the public  and i don't pay bills or have anything  a hacker would want on my test PC . What they going do steal my crack folder  ?

That is exactly what i use to do ! old pcs are best to this kind of experiment!