As if regular viruses were not enough, hackers are now literally holding their victims' data hostage.Ransomware works by encrypting the user's data and then demanding payment toprovide the decryption key.

The latest, which CA, Inc calls"Win32/RansomSMS.AH," is bundled inside an application called"uFast Download Manager." CA announced the discovery of the hack on November 30, 2009. The bundled software installs itself without input by the user and springs a message on the unsuspecting victim. The uninstaller included with the Ransomware does not function. The message appears in a semi-opaque window and is in Russian. The approximate English translation reads:

   Internet access is blocked due to violation of the

   license agreement schedules of uFast Download Manager

   You must activate your copy

   Get a registration code by sending an SMS with the following

   code fw0004199 to number 7122

   In response you will receive an activation message.

   Enter the activation message received from the SMS response  ________

CA has made available an activation code that unencrypts the affected user files.

Earlier this year Kaspersky Labs identified similar ransomware, called "Gpcode.ak" This nasty malware performs 1024-bit encryption on the user's data and demands money for the decryption code. It adds the extension "._CRYPT" to the affected files, and puts a text file named "!_READ_ME_!.txt " in the same folder as the encrypted user files. The readme file includes the following text:

   Your files are encrypted with RSA-1024 algorithm.

   To recovery your files you need to buy our decryptor.

   To buy decrypting tool contact us at: ********@yahoo.com

A previous version of Gpcode wasr eleased two years before. It sported 660-bit encryption. This earlier version's encryption has been cracked, but the more recent 1024-bit encryption scheme apparently has not been. Fortunately, the "ak" version of Gpcodemakes a copy of the file, encrypts it, then deletes the original file. The unencrypted but deleted files may be recoverable.