Another Ransom paid using Bitcoin

[franky1]

Someone should make statistics. How many ransoms were paid in US dollars, how many in Russian rubles, Swiss francs, Euros?
I doubt BTC is the most widely used currency for this activity. When you pay taxes, which is some kind of a ransom for the right to keep on living the way you do, BTC isn't accepted yet.

lets say that 1million people USE bitcoin regularly
lets say that 10,000 people get paid a regular and proper wage in bitcoin..

with many media items saying that mtgox has stolen from thousands of users people. or trendon shavers stole from thousands of users. or the ransomware cryptolock has affected millions of non-users. or the bitcoin ponzi schemes, bad investments. and the closures of mintpal, cryptorush, bitcoinica, and many other exchanges..

the victim rate far exceeds the user rate. and the amount of people receiving a wage and fully living on bitcoin (without pre conversion to fiat) is so low that the positives do not white out the negatives.

for all those that want to defend bitcoin. you probably also defend your home, or country to that same honour and respect no matter what is said..
so..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMqcLUqYqrs
bitcoin is not the greatest currency in the world... but it can be!!
atleast be honest, that way it can be fixed

[stingers]

Another news that will tarnish the reputation of Bitcoin, looks like the bad guys found a new option to be untraceable and no need to show up to pick up the bag "ProtonMail Sent $6000 BitCoin Ransom to Hackers to Stop DDoS Attack, DDoS Continues Anyway"

http://apexbeats.com/recent/3253-11/protonmail-sent-6000-bitcoin-ransom-to-hackers-to-stop-ddos-attack-ddos-continues-anyway/

The funny thing here is, that does protonmail generates enough revenue that they had to pay 6000BTC for freeing their service? I never heard of them. I really am not able to digest the fact that they actually did pay "6000BTC", maybe it's just a publicity stunt?

[Tstar]

ProtonMail has now started a GoFundMe page to raise money for the ProtonMail Defense Fund. The company states that the money will be used to implement and “utilize top-of-the-line solutions typically used by larger companies such as Twitter, Facebook, etc.”

At the time of publication the company had raised $25,000 from 800 donors. They are hoping to raise $50,000.

This is unbelievable! They paid and got scammed since they are being attacked again and now they ask people's money to refund their mistakes?
Simply unbelievable.
Why don't pay those 6000$ to some security experts in the first place?

 

[pawel7777]

ProtonMail has now started a GoFundMe page to raise money for the ProtonMail Defense Fund. The company states that the money will be used to implement and “utilize top-of-the-line solutions typically used by larger companies such as Twitter, Facebook, etc.”

At the time of publication the company had raised $25,000 from 800 donors. They are hoping to raise $50,000.

This is unbelievable! They paid and got scammed since they are being attacked again and now they ask people's money to refund their mistakes?
Simply unbelievable.
Why don't pay those 6000$ to some security experts in the first place?

 

Read the article linked in the first post.

They didn't got scammed. The second attack is not run by the same group as the first one. It would absolutely make no sense to continue ddos after the ransom was paid. There is zero chance the victim would pay again if the attackers didn't stick to their promise the first time, so continuing ddos would be just a waste of resources.

And they're raising funds to increase security, since the current solutions are proven insufficient, they're not asking people for those $6k paid.

[kolloh]

Ransoms being demanded in Bitcoin certainly gives bitcoin a bad reputation. People begin to associate bitcoin with these negative things and it isn't good.

Although, once bitcoin replaces fiat, all demands would be in bitcoin anyhow. Essentially, it is just like demanding cash. But to someone not experienced, they may associate all of bitcoin with that aspect.

[franky1]

Although, once bitcoin replaces fiat,

sorry but bitcoin wont be the only currency for 7billion people..
i think people need to stop overexagerating their bitcoin faith. and instead stick to the realities.

when bitcoin gets more then a few thousand people recieving a wage in bitcoin. (remote working/ international work) and a few million use it regular..
lets say 20mill-100mill.. then bitcoin will be successful..

try not to exagerate bitcoin to be the cure for cancer or the end of poverty.. bitcoin has its place in the world and a large place at that.. but hailing it as the second coming and saying it will be everything the world dreams.. can actually put people off as much as the ransomware.

try sticking to logic and reality, have a fair balance of good or bad.. talk about bitcoins actual positive usefulnesses. and not its supposed god like potential..

i see many people going too far overboard with bitcoins future.. that it actually compares to media going overboard with the negatives..

i think a few people need to take a step back and stop praying for the miracle of a one world currency. and instead look at the logical future..

[Skinnyman]

to be honest this type of thing is good and bad news for bitcoin. Whether we like it or not criminals are going to now move over to bitcoin bit criminals are still users of bitcoin, though obviously the general public will see this as a bad thing and it might scare them off. Still publicity at the end of the day.

[oblivi]

Someone should make statistics. How many ransoms were paid in US dollars, how many in Russian rubles, Swiss francs, Euros?
I doubt BTC is the most widely used currency for this activity. When you pay taxes, which is some kind of a ransom for the right to keep on living the way you do, BTC isn't accepted yet.

lets say that 1million people USE bitcoin regularly
lets say that 10,000 people get paid a regular and proper wage in bitcoin..

with many media items saying that mtgox has stolen from thousands of users people. or trendon shavers stole from thousands of users. or the ransomware cryptolock has affected millions of non-users. or the bitcoin ponzi schemes, bad investments. and the closures of mintpal, cryptorush, bitcoinica, and many other exchanges..

the victim rate far exceeds the user rate. and the amount of people receiving a wage and fully living on bitcoin (without pre conversion to fiat) is so low that the positives do not white out the negatives.

for all those that want to defend bitcoin. you probably also defend your home, or country to that same honour and respect no matter what is said..
so..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMqcLUqYqrs
bitcoin is not the greatest currency in the world... but it can be!!
atleast be honest, that way it can be fixed

The protocol works, if you can't be your own bank because you can't keep your computer and or paper wallet secure, then just go to Xapo and let them manage your Bitcoins for you on their vaults. It's not Bitcoin's fault people are computer illiterates.

[DaddyMonsi]

I wonder if that transaction ID for the payment is still exist or can be found, since I doubt that this maybe just a publicity stunt that they we're attacked so they can make news and publicity for free.

[franky1]

The protocol works, if you can't be your own bank because you can't keep your computer and or paper wallet secure, then just go to Xapo and let them manage your Bitcoins for you on their vaults. It's not Bitcoin's fault people are computer illiterates.

yes bitcoin, like gold works based on their own uniqueness.(bitcoins code and golds unique mineral type)
but people need to stop hailing bitcoin or gold as the sole future means of wealth..
id say at most bitcoin would hit 10% world usage.. which is far far better then USD, which is only 5% world usage. (350mill pop/7bill pop)
this does not mean FIAT will die.. it does not mean bitcoin wont last.. it just means logically that bitcoin can be great alongside fiat.

the issue right now is that while the reality of under 10,000 getting a regular wage out of bitcoin.. and out of them not all can buy toilet roll using their bitcoin locally.. shows that bitcoins usefulness is not quite there to hail it as 'god'

the reality is that in just 6 years there have been more victims then occassional users. and much higher odds compared to people living fully on bitcoin.
so the lives positively affected by bitcoin. does not outweigh the lives negatively affected.

so bitcoin has the potential for soo much. your right, the code proves it.. but bitcoin ECONOMY is more than just the code.. its businesses, exchanges, users, projects, idea's, personal choices.
so right now casting bitcoin as the one world currency, without actually doing anything so that people can buy toilet roll and bread with bitcoin. is not going to sway people to ignore the negative..

infact casting it as a big thing.. and then when new users struggle to find a legit place to convert FIAT to btc.. and then find local places in their neighbourhood to spend it.. is such a struggle, that it makes bitcoins potential claims feel false because 99% of people wont look at or care about the code.. they want to see what they can DO with bitcoin..

i think people need to hold back, calm down and work on getting bitcoin more useful (i personally have, but see many sitting on their hands waiting).

so lets not give a crap about media's positives or negatives.. its not time yet to go mainstream and definitely not time to make grandpa or the computer dysfunctional folk get involved.. lets get bitcoin more useful and userfriendly before trying to hail it as the one world currency, that many people pray for

[justbitcoins]

to be honest this type of thing is good and bad news for bitcoin. Whether we like it or not criminals are going to now move over to bitcoin bit criminals are still users of bitcoin, though obviously the general public will see this as a bad thing and it might scare them off. Still publicity at the end of the day.

When bitcoin is used as ransom, it is bad publicity. But people still see the report, so it make more people aware of the existence of bitcoin. It is  an advertisement for bitcoin.

[xdrpx]

I think their biggest mistake was to pay the ransom to someone who was abusing your servers by DDoSing them. I'm sure there would be cyber crime agencies that could have helped them track them down. Also, a lot of ddos protection services available online who could have helped them mitigate the attack.

[aso118]

People need to get the memo, We do not negotiate with bitcoin terrorists.

If they are threatening your business, your data or anything else that you hold dear.. Do not pay them, because you might think they will give you what they promised, but in my mind this is just more reason for them to hold onto what they have and push you farther and farther until you can't pay anymore.

Bitcoin terrorists is bad usage.
The only connection to Bitcoin is that the ransom paid was in Bitcoins. The hackers have no ideological support for Bitcoin; they just find Bitcoin's pseudonymity useful.

[rivoke]

Recently I have this one at my place. They ask for ransom or he will explode the mall 's toilet . And it did happen but our police has succeed captured the bomber after 4 hours.

Bomber said that he did that because he need money. But why bitcoin ? Because it's anonymity

[DaddyMonsi]

I think their biggest mistake was to pay the ransom to someone who was abusing your servers by DDoSing them. I'm sure there would be cyber crime agencies that could have helped them track them down. Also, a lot of ddos protection services available online who could have helped them mitigate the attack.

how did they know that they are paying the right group who attacked them and how did they know that the BTC address is for the attackers

[pawel7777]

how did they know that they are paying the right group who attacked them and how did they know that the BTC address is for the attackers

I would imagine attackers either announce the attack beforehand, or just stops the attack in the specific time just to prove it's them.

I think their biggest mistake was to pay the ransom to someone who was abusing your servers by DDoSing them. I'm sure there would be cyber crime agencies that could have helped them track them down. Also, a lot of ddos protection services available online who could have helped them mitigate the attack.

Again, $6k is reasonable price even for small company.
Imagine you run internet-based business and got ddosed. You have to choose risking losing lots of current and potential clients as well as trust in your business (potentially you could even face a lawsuit, if it caused loss to any of your clients). Or you could just pay $6k and buy yourself enough time to come up with proper protection, so this won't happen again. What do you do?

Daily reminder, even FBI acknowledged that paying ransom is often the best option:
http://www.coindesk.com/fbi-malware-victims-should-pay-bitcoin-ransoms/

[nydiacaskey01]

Again, $6k is reasonable price even for small company.
Imagine you run internet-based business and got ddosed. You have to choose risking losing lots of current and potential clients as well as trust in your business (potentially you could even face a lawsuit, if it caused loss to any of your clients). Or you could just pay $6k and buy yourself enough time to come up with proper protection, so this won't happen again. What do you do?

Daily reminder, even FBI acknowledged that paying ransom is often the best option:
http://www.coindesk.com/fbi-malware-victims-should-pay-bitcoin-ransoms/

Isn't it that making a deal with those attackers will just open the doors to those with criminal minds that it's now possible to commit this kind of crime and gets out of it undetectable. $6k is small price to pay but it's not a guarantee that they will not attack again and maybe next time they attack they upgraded to a more destructive way of attacking sites using the $6K ransom.

[pawel7777]

Again, $6k is reasonable price even for small company.
Imagine you run internet-based business and got ddosed. You have to choose risking losing lots of current and potential clients as well as trust in your business (potentially you could even face a lawsuit, if it caused loss to any of your clients). Or you could just pay $6k and buy yourself enough time to come up with proper protection, so this won't happen again. What do you do?

Daily reminder, even FBI acknowledged that paying ransom is often the best option:
http://www.coindesk.com/fbi-malware-victims-should-pay-bitcoin-ransoms/

Isn't it that making a deal with those attackers will just open the doors to those with criminal minds that it's now possible to commit this kind of crime and gets out of it undetectable. $6k is small price to pay but it's not a guarantee that they will not attack again and maybe next time they attack they upgraded to a more destructive way of attacking sites using the $6K ransom.

It's easy for everyone, not directly involved, to say what they should have/shouldn't have done, but it's different if you (your company) are directly affected.

[justbitcoins]

I think their biggest mistake was to pay the ransom to someone who was abusing your servers by DDoSing them. I'm sure there would be cyber crime agencies that could have helped them track them down. Also, a lot of ddos protection services available online who could have helped them mitigate the attack.

how did they know that they are paying the right group who attacked them and how did they know that the BTC address is for the attackers

Maybe the address was given to them by the attackers. In the file locking attack, the victim will be given a bitcoin address straight away.

[kyrios_]

to be honest this type of thing is good and bad news for bitcoin. Whether we like it or not criminals are going to now move over to bitcoin bit criminals are still users of bitcoin, though obviously the general public will see this as a bad thing and it might scare them off. Still publicity at the end of the day.

When bitcoin is used as ransom, it is bad publicity. But people still see the report, so it make more people aware of the existence of bitcoin. It is  an advertisement for bitcoin.

in this case bad publicity is not good. Bitcoin adoption requires people to trust the system rather than just know about it. these sort of news would hurt the trust in Bitcoin (shallow understanding of it) people will associate Bitcoin with these sort of events. recently read somewhere that Isis has a wallet with few million usd worth of bitcoins?