Go Daddy Sites Serve Up Ransomware Malware
Nov 27, 2012
Domain name registrar and website hosting provider Go Daddy is responding to a DNS attack targeting a "small number" of its hosted websites that one security firm said is enabling cyber criminals to spread ransomware. The DNS (Domain Name System) is what transfers host-names into IP addresses, meaning computers can talk to each other and users can access them online. Godaddy said, " We suspect that the affected customers have been phished or their home machines have been affected by Cool Exploit as we have confirmed that this is not a vulnerability in the My Account or DNS management systems. " The Cool Exploit Kit targets a variety of vulnerabilities, including Java errors, and has been seen spreading via drive-by attack websites. The ransomware served depends on the country of origin. In the UK, it is malware posing as a legitimate message from the Met's Police e-Crime Unit (PCeU). It locks the computer, on the grounds that the computer was guilt
