{"id":54355,"date":"2016-09-09T15:58:18","date_gmt":"2016-09-09T15:58:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pcmatic.com\/blog\/?p=54355"},"modified":"2016-09-09T15:58:18","modified_gmt":"2016-09-09T15:58:18","slug":"new-ransomware-provides-mercy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pcmatic.com\/blog\/new-ransomware-provides-mercy\/","title":{"rendered":"New Ransomware Provides Attackers With &#8220;Mercy&#8221; Option"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>Ransomware attackers have a &#8220;Mercy&#8221; option on new Philadelphia ransomware&#8230;<!--more--><\/h3>\n<p>A new version of Stampado, Philadelphia,\u00a0has been released and is for sale as ransomware as a service (RaaS).\u00a0 The difference\u00a0 with this particular ransomware, is the interface provides the attackers with a &#8220;Mercy&#8221; option.\u00a0 So if they so choose, they could show mercy on particular ransomware victims and decrypt the files without receiving payment.<\/p>\n<p>It is not realistic to assume this &#8220;Mercy&#8221; button will be utilized that frequently, otherwise it is safe to assume people would stop paying and expect mercy.\u00a0 Another deterrent for victims to pay is, the probability of a decryption key already being available.\u00a0 According to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.bleepingcomputer.com\/news\/security\/the-philadelphia-ransomware-offers-a-mercy-button-for-compassionate-criminals\/\">BleepingComputer<\/a>, there has likely been a free decryption key found for this new found ransomware.<\/p>\n<p>It is believed the ransomware is being distributed through phishing attacks.\u00a0 The ransom demanded is not known at this time; however, it was reported that after infection a timer starts.\u00a0 If a payment is not received prior to time expiring, files will be deleted.<\/p>\n<p>Again, instead of rushing to make the payment, it is encouraged victims check the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.bleepingcomputer.com\/forums\/t\/620794\/stampado-locked-ransomware-help-support-scvhostexe\/\">Stampado Ransomware Help &amp; Support Topic<\/a> to see if the free decryption tool available works to decrypt their files.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp; Ransomware attackers have a &#8220;Mercy&#8221; option on new Philadelphia ransomware&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":54,"featured_media":53224,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[4949,5000],"tags":[4363],"class_list":["post-54355","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ransomware","category-ransomwarewar","tag-ransomware"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>New Ransomware Provides Attackers With &quot;Mercy&quot; 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