Experts warn about new blackmail Trojans

A new Trojan designed for blackmail has been shocking victims with a combination of child pornography images and pictures taken with the computer’s webcam.

But computer users shouldn’t be rattled by the tactic, urges Eco, the Association of the German Internet Industry. It’s better to start combating the malware immediately, it says, offering programmes like HitmanPro to help in the fight.

The Trojan usually accesses a computer via an infected website and security gaps, either in the browser or in plug-ins like Flash.

It then locks down the computer with a warning about internet access being blocked because child pornography has been discovered on the hard drive.

The message is made even scarier with four shocking pictures and one of the users, taken with the infected computer’s own webcam by the Trojan.

HitmanPro can do more than just get rid of the Trojan. It can also remove the pornographic images from the hard drive.

However, HitmanPro first has to be booted up on a non-infected computer. Once that’s done, it creates a file on a USB stick which the Trojan victim can use to clean up his computer.

To avoid future infection, make sure important programmes like the browser, Flash and Java, as well as the operating system, are kept as up-to-date as possible.