BITCOIN

 BITCOIN

In the no so distant past, there was this craze called Bitcoin. Bitcoin, the worlds leading cryptocurrency. It's like digital money that's spread out all over the world and nobody really owns it. It's kind of like the money of the Internet. Way back in 2009, you could buy one Bitcoin for less than a dollar! Can you believe that? But then, by February 2017, the price went up to around $4,000 for each Bitcoin. And by the end of 2017, it was crazy expensive, like $17,000 for just one!

But then, in January 2018, the price started going down a bit. Now it's around $11,000 for a single Bitcoin. Some people think it might go up to $40,000 by the end of 2018, and others even say it could reach $200,000 someday! Surprise surprise at the turn of 2024 one bitcoin is worth $43,175.70

You see, all these other digital coins, like Litecoin and Bitcoin Cash, are kind of like branches of the Bitcoin tree. They all come from the same place, the Bitcoin "blockchain." It's like the main trunk of the cryptocurrency tree, and the other coins are like the branches or leaves. But unlike a tree that grows its own branches and leaves Bitcoin doesn't. In order for a Bitcoin investor's value to increase, somebody else have to loose theirs.

But there are also some other digital coins out there that aren't related to Bitcoin at all. They're like their own separate trees in the cryptocurrency forest. So yeah, Bitcoin is a big deal, and it's changing the way we think about money and the Internet. But who knows what the future holds? It's all just a big guessing game for now.

RANSOMWARE

2015 WAS THE YEAR OF RANSOMWARE  

Computers and ICT networks are prone to electronic failure but with the expert help of ICT professionals, network up-time can almost be guaranteed to 99.98 percent. However, for the past decade computer and network redundancy and global replication services, ISP's and corporate networks have been under attack from, Heuristic Computer Viruses, Worms, Malware, Spyware, Trojan/backdoors, Adware,  Rootkits,  Scareware, Keyloggers, and the worst of all Ransomware attacks that appear to be more personal.  Not to mention the physical threats by hackers, making the jobs of network security personal more intense and challenging. Costing companies huge additional and unnecessary expenses globally. 

It is predicted that Ransomware is going to be the greatest emerging security risk in 2016 and the general consensus is that 2015 has been the year of Ransomware. The purpose behind all intrusion software is to disrupt, create chaos, steal data and extort money. The reasons, avarice, sadism, vindictiveness, arrogance, aggression, envy,  anger, bitterness, jealousy, hate, narrow-mindedness and plain unadulterated evil. Can you even imagine a cracker hacking your computer system stealing your personal information as well as take over your computer holding  it ransom until you make their specified payment and endure the uncertainty whether or not thy will release you computer once payment is made. 

Globally security experts are doing the utmost to reverse engineer Ransonware software in an attempt to put a stop to this thievery. 
Surprisingly there are number of them amongst which are TeslaCrypt, Alpha Crypt, CryptoFortress,  Chimera , CryptoWall, Ransomware infection, MBR Ransomware  (MBR stands for Master Boot Record), CryptoLocker and the worst of all CTB Ransomware (CTB atands for Curve-Tor-Bitcoin). Crowti (aka Cryptowall) and Tescrypt (aka Teslacrypt) are two Ransomware families that cyber gangs and e-criminals used  to infect  more than half a million Computers  running Microsoft Operating System and Microsoft Security Software. In fact the majority of Ransomware is targeted at the Microsoft Windows operating system and is sent as spam and e-mail attachments with the following names.

disgruntled.zip
facto.zip
headband.zip
woodworking.zip
firefly.zip

If the attachment, is unpacked, it unloads a .scr file, which if activated will launch a dropper of the Dalexis class.  It will then connects to a series of hard-coded URLs, from which it will download  CTB Locker.  CTB Locker will change  all your file name extensions to .crypt however the various flavours of Ransomware can change it to any of these  file name extensions listed below. (NB! This list is not exhaustive)

*.aaa
*.abc
*.cry
*.cpyt 
*.crypt 
*.crypto
*.darkness
*.ecc
*.enc
*.exx
*.ezz
*.kb15
*.kraken
*.locked
*.nochance
*.obleep
*.vault
*.zzz

One way to combat Ransomware is to keep a snapshots of the files in a secure area of your network that wouldn't be affected by Ransomware if the  machine is infected. Alternatively store an offline backup image of your hard drive so that your data can easily be restore. Refrain from downloading or access e-mail attachments from people you don’t know and never  click on  e-mails links you receive from unknown e-mail addresses. Also make absolutely sure your  anti virus / security solution is up to date and able to detect and block CTB Locker, and change your online security protection level by adjusting your web browser security settings.