Unique, This Hacking Group Asks Victims to Do Charity If They Want Their Data Back

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A new type of ransomware has been identified by cybersecurity analysts. Uniquely, this ransomware forces victims to complete a series of charity tasks to get their data back.

Reported by Gizmodo, the ransomware is dubbed GoodWill, and has been identified by threat analysis firm CloudSEK. Ransomware is usually a form of malware that will encrypt a user's photos, documents, and other files, prevent them from accessing them, and blackmail victims into paying a ransom to provide them with a decryption key.

But GoodWill is different. Instead of asking for a ransom, the group behind the ransomware actually directs its victims to do three good deeds, filming them and posting them on social media to encourage others to follow suit. But at the same time, pointing a digital gun at the victim's head. According to CloudSEK, the hacker group's IP address was tracked in Mumbai, India.

The first task reportedly required its victims to give clothes and blankets to people in need. Then, they have to feed five children under the age of 13 at Domino's, KFC, or Pizza Hut, and take selfies with the children after eating. Lastly, the victim has to pay someone's hospital bills, such as going to the hospital, approaching the patient, and contributing the maximum amount of the total bill.

Victims have to document all these acts of coercion using photo frames provided by hackers, and post the photos on Instagram, Facebook or WhatsApp stories.

"Inexpensive, but important to humanity," the hacker group wrote in their security bulletin, though it's not clear who they're targeting, and how they determine the ability of their victims to fulfill these tasks.

Even though the conditions they put forward are a bit of a kindness talk, but there are definitely other ways to motivate people to help the less fortunate without keeping their valuable data hostage.

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