FBI Header Ransomware

Posted: September 17, 2015

Threat Metric

The Threat Meter is a malware assessment that SpywareRemove.com's research team is able to give every identifiable malware threat. Our Threat Meter includes several criteria based off of specific malware threats to value their severity, reach and volume. The Threat Meter is able to give you a numerical breakdown of each threat's initial Threat Level, Detection Count, Volume Count, Trend Path and Percentage Impact. The overall ranking of each threat in the Threat Meter is a basic breakdown of how all threats are ranked within our own extensive malware database. The scoring for each specific malware threat can be easily compared to other emerging threats to draw a contrast in its particular severity. The Threat Meter is a useful tool in the endeavor of seeking a solution to remove a threat or pursue additional analytical research for all types of computer users.

The following fields listed on the Threat Meter containing a specific value, are explained in detail below:

Threat Level: The threat level scale goes from 1 to 10 where 10 is the highest level of severity and 1 is the lowest level of severity. Each specific level is relative to the threat's consistent assessed behaviors collected from SpyHunter's risk assessment model.

Detection Count: The collective number of confirmed and suspected cases of a particular malware threat. The detection count is calculated from infected PCs retrieved from diagnostic and scan log reports generated by SpyHunter.

Volume Count: Similar to the detection count, the Volume Count is specifically based on the number of confirmed and suspected threats infecting systems on a daily basis. High volume counts usually represent a popular threat but may or may not have infected a large number of systems. High detection count threats could lay dormant and have a low volume count. Criteria for Volume Count is relative to a daily detection count.

Trend Path: The Trend Path, utilizing an up arrow, down arrow or equal symbol, represents the level of recent movement of a particular threat. Up arrows represent an increase, down arrows represent a decline and the equal symbol represent no change to a threat's recent movement.

% Impact (Last 7 Days): This demonstrates a 7-day period change in the frequency of a malware threat infecting PCs. The percentage impact correlates directly to the current Trend Path to determine a rise or decline in the percentage.

Ranking:	11,009
Threat Level:	10/10
Infected PCs:	457

First Seen:	September 17, 2015
Last Seen:	October 9, 2023
OS(es) Affected:	Windows

The FBI Header Ransomware is a Windows locker Trojan that uses your browser to block the desktop and deliver a fraudulent legal alert. Such legal warnings normally are meant to force their victims to transfer money to (in theory) unlock their machines, although malware experts have seen no signs of unlocking capabilities from the FBI Header Ransomware. Any warning messages delivered by this Trojan should be disregarded, with anti-malware products used for uninstalling the FBI Header Ransomware from PCs suffering from persistent symptoms of an infection.

The FBI Agents You shouldn't Take at Their Word

Although ransomware Trojans frequently undergo changes to their internal code, even more often, they will update their pop-up content strictly superficially. The latter updates may use templates that previously circulated with other threat families, and may include incomplete or shared information, as one can see with the pop-up attacks of the FBI Header Ransomware. This threat has shown signs of being under development in progress, with its fake legal warnings including generic text fields with placeholder titles.

However, even without any header information, the FBI Header Ransomware delivers warning messages that are formatted to look like believable legal alerts from the FBI. The FBI Header Ransomware may accuse its victims of crimes such as trafficking in child pornography or downloading illicit software, regardless of your real PC usage history. Malware experts also saw simple geolocation details embedded in the FBI Header Ransomware attacks, implying that the FBI Header Ransomware may pretend to target PC users of specific nationalities or operating systems.

The FBI Header Ransomware uses its browser-based pop-ups to block the victim's desktop access and prevents the window from being terminated, minimized or resized. Most strikingly, however, malware researchers found the FBI Header Ransomware attacks using Paypal-based ransom strategies for claiming to unlock the infected PCs. This seemingly minor preference is a notable difference from previous ransomware, like the Ukash Virus family. With this change, the FBI Header Ransomware could be a portent of threat authors looking towards the United States, instead of Europe, as a foremost target for ransoms.

Editing a Threat Header out of Your PC Life

Not all channels for the FBI Header Ransomware's distribution have had verification from malware analysts. However, some FBI Header Ransomware attacks have traced back to compromised advertising networks that may try to lock your PC without requiring any extensive interaction from their victims. Advertisement-blocking and script-blocking features are some of the most casual methods of blocking malvertising. Malware analysts also can point to updating your software routinely for reducing the presence of exploits that could install the FBI Header Ransomware, along with other threats.

Technically speaking, the FBI Header Ransomware isn't a remarkable sample of threatening software and keeps well within the boundaries of previous Trojans of its type. However, its choices in ransom formats could show that third parties are looking for new grounds for taking advantage of unprotected Web surfers. Victims should keep in mind that even PC owners legitimately guilty of any crimes in an FBI Header Ransomware's warning have nothing to gain from paying its ransom, and should keep their Paypal funds in their accounts.

FBI Header Ransomware

Threat Metric

The FBI Agents You shouldn't Take at Their Word

Editing a Threat Header out of Your PC Life

Leave a Reply