Ransomware Hits Fortnite Players

Take one of the world's most popular online games with tens of millions of users — Fortnite. Add a ransomware attack, and build that ransomware on an open source platform. You have the recipe for a major security problem, one that's beginning to be seen around the world.

Researchers Maharlito Aquino and Kervin Alintanahin have published a blog post detailing Syrk, a piece of ransomware built from tools openly available on the Internet. Syrk masquerades as a game hack tool, promising to deliver more accurate aiming and knowledge of other players' whereabouts — tools known as aimbots and ESP, in the language of gamers.

Syrk generates a sense of urgency by encrypting files on the victims' computer every two hours. Fortunately, Aquino and Alintanahin report that the encryption method is simple, and they provide two means for recovering files without paying the demanded ransom.

Syrk is still active on Fortnite gamer sites.

For more, read here.