Over the course of 2015, many individuals and companies have been affected by ransomware.While this may have nothing to do with Bitcoin at first glance, there have been a few cases where the ransomware could only be removed by paying a certain fee in Bitcoin.But those days may be over now, as a decryption toolkit for various types of ransomware has been made publicly available, free of charge.Also read: Hackers Steal 7,170 Bitcoins From Chinese Exchange BTER Two types of ransomware making headlines all across the world in recent months are called CryptoLocker and CoinVault.Both types of ransomware operate, in the same way, as they infect a computer as soon as an unsuspecting user clicks an unknown link or opens up an attachment sent via email.This is how most types of malware, viruses and ransomware are distributed for years now.One of the reasons why these types of ransomware are incredibly dangerous is because they encrypt any file on your computer that matches a certain file extension.

Whether it is a photo, a document, a saved bookmark or even executable files, they will be off-limits to the end user unless they pay the ransom.Hence, the term ransomware.To regain access to your files, you will need to enter a decryption key.cours bitcoin 2014That sounds easier said than done, as there is no universal decryption key for these types of ransomware.ethereum graph priceEvery infected device requires a uniquely generated decryption key, making it very hard for security experts to counter these types of attacks.bitcoin trusted third partyWhile most major companies affected by either CryptoLocker or CoinVault have a dedicated team of IT specialists at their disposal to recover the files from a backup, the story is quite different for individuals.bitcoin san francisco drug

Most of them will pay the requested fee – in Bitcoin – to regain access to their private files.Needless to say, this is not putting Bitcoin in a positive daylight, even though it has no direct ties to the ransomware or its creators.bitcoin udpMultiple bright minds have been working on a solution to combat ransomware, yet it is not an easy task.bitcoin to inr live chartBecause every infection is different – and also requires its unique decryption key – it is difficult for security experts to find a cookie cutter solution.However, all of these decryption keys are generated by a certain algorithm, and once that has been cracked, the story changes dramatically.It may come as a surprise that a solution has been made available to the public at no cost.Jadacyrus – a pseudonym for an unknown individual or group – created a decryption toolkit that allegedly would be able to break the ransomware encryption.

Even though there are multiple version of ransomware available, this toolkit should be able to decrypt most infections by CryptoLocker, CoinVault, TeslaCrypt and others.That being said, it is important to note this toolkit is aimed at security researchers and system administrators, rather than individual users.The source code of this toolkit – called Ransomware Response Kit – can be found on BitBucket, yet it has not been integrated into an easy-to-use interface for the everyday consumer.Furthermore, the Ransomware Response Kit does not contain any new tools or features to combat ransomware infections.Jadacyrus has opted to collect the most common anti-ransomware tools into one platform, which should make it easier for the end user to pick the right tool for their type of infection.But there is a word of warning from Jadacyrus as well.Any infected system should be removed from the network before attempting to break the ransomware encryption.Once that step has been completed, the user should be able to identify which type of ransomware is present on their device, and then use the toolkit to rectify the situation.

However, no success rates have been provided at this point.Even though this project sounds like a great tool, there is no guarantee your ransomware infection can be fixed.Ransomware developers are constantly making changes to their software, which causes additional headaches for security experts.Jadacyrus will try to keep the Ransomware Response Kit updated as often as possible though.What are your thoughts on this Ransomware Response Kit?Let us know in the comments below!Images courtesy of CryptoLocker, CoinVault and Shutterstock Originally posted on: Developer Creates Solution for Bitcoin RansomwareIn the past few weeks, a widespread and coordinated international cyberattack seized control of hundreds of thousands of computers in 150 countries.Those affected by the cyberattack would see a window pop up on their screen telling them that their files were inaccessible, then demanding payment of a ransom lest their files be deleted.But the ransomers in this attack weren’t demanding gold bars, a parachute or sacks of unmarked bills delivered to a secure location.

They wanted bitcoins.Bitcoin is what is known as a “cryptocurrency,” a digital currency that is distributed without any kind of centralized bank.The mechanism of distribution is complicated — you can read a full rundown — but basically bitcoin relies on users’ distributed computing power to ensure the viability of transactions.Running the software to keep track of transactions takes resources, and users who do so are motivated by the prospect of earning bitcoins in exchange for their computers’ assistance in keeping track of a bitcoin ledger.Boosters of bitcoin see the currency as having many strengths compared to regular money: Cryptocurrencies have no central bank managing and issuing them and their use remains mostly anonymous when transactions occur.(This latter point is arguable, as I’ll discuss momentarily.)And unlike regular money, which usually moves across the world via banks or financial agencies, cryptocurrencies can move around through digital wires unhindered by processing fees or taxes.The perceived strengths of bitcoin as an alternative to fiat money — that it moves around pseudonymously and thus is much harder for government officials to track or seize accounts — is also its weaknesses.

Indeed, these characteristics have made bitcoin the currency of choice for ransomware hackers as well as illicit online marketplaces like AlphaBay (and the now-shuttered Silk Road) allowing buyers and sellers to trade black-market goods like drugs and credit card numbers alongside quotidian, traditional online marketplace goods such as clothes and books.Yet the ethereal aspects of bitcoin — you don’t need to store it in a bank and it doesn’t exist on paper but is merely a string of numbers — means it’s the ideal tool for a digital ransom.“I think [bitcoin’s] association with malware and ransomware signals that it has a problem because bitcoin investors and developers and — pardon this terrible term — ‘bitvangelists’ don’t want that,” Julian Gottlieb, a visiting assistant professor of politics at the University of Oregon who studies cryptocurrencies, told Salon.Institutional investment gives cryptocurrencies like bitcoin a patina of legitimacy, Gottlieb explained.

“In Japan right now, because of some economic stagnation, there’s been an effort for investors to diversify their portfolios, and they’ve been encouraging people to diversity portfolios and invest in bitcoin,” he said.The value of a single bitcoin, currently about $1,700, rises and falls depending on how many people invest in the currency — meaning how many people buy bitcoin in exchange for “real” money.So is bitcoin to blame for enabling these digital ransomers?Many bitcoin enthusiasts scoff at this idea.Becky Metivier, in a blog for Sage Data Security, argued that bitcoin is not to blame for ransomware.Metivier pointed out that “poor security policies and practices” are just as much to blame for ransomware as “encryption and bitcoin.”Metivier wrote, “Because of its association with ransomware, bitcoin’s benefits have been obscured by a cloud of misconception.”Part of that misconception is the notion that bitcoin use is really anonymous.Because all transactions are recorded in the “blockchain” — basically an ever-growing ledger — there’s some ability to track bitcoin transactions.

“Bitcoin is pseudonymous, not anonymous,” says Charles Bovaird, lead markets writer for CoinDesk, a cryptocurrency news site.“The cryptocurrency’s transactions involve transfers between bitcoin addresses, which are strings of letters and numbers.Every time a bitcoin transaction takes place, it gets recorded on the blockchain, where it is linked to the addresses involved.” Outside of enthusiasts, who share information about cryptocurrencies in many different online forums and news sites, the average person might hear about bitcoin only when it’s in the news for something like a cyberattack or ransomware story.“Bitcoin has shown its promise for a lot of illicit activities, like hacking for pay, large-scale heists online,” said Gottlieb.“The semi-anonymity of the technology does lend itself to that.”Gottlieb sees a problem in the way that the media industry covers bitcoin: Since the currency is decentralized, no central voice can defend bitcoin when a news story portrays it in a negative light.“If Chase Bank were hacked, they would have a PR community,” Gottlieb said.