How cybercrooks made $330K from ransomware without really trying

The small cybercrime ring behind the CryptoWall 3.0 ransomware was able to collect more than $330,607 in ransom from 670 victims, according to new research. The figures, published by security firm Imperva, are based on an analysis [PDF] of Bitcoin wallets linked to malware-wielding extortists. Security researchers discovered …

[Mark Zip]

330K or 330M?

While the author says that 330M seems a bit high, 330K in the headline I see right now (2:39pm US East coast) seems a bit low...

EDIT: Oh, I see, the 330K figure is from just one study. Doohh. Apologies. PEBCAK.

[Graham Marsden]

The estimate...

... which was pulled out of someone's arse by a security company which wants to scare you into using their products...

FTFY

[Anonymous Coward]

El Reg has been reporting about Bitcoin related stuff for years now... It's "bitcoins" not "BitCoins". Don't you guys have proofreaders? Every single time...

[Mark 85]

The amount of money is overall obviously high... my question is "how many gangs?". Still, I wish certain agencies would focus on this a bit and take these guys out.

[Oengus]

They do take them down every now and then, almost always with a lot of publicity and banner waving.

Why take them all down at once when it is more benificial to do one (orchestrated) highly visible takedown at the correct time and milk that for all it is worth. Usually this happens around the time their budget is up for renewal/review and they use the "success" as an example of why they need extra funding to catch more gangs and extra powers to make the identification of the gang members easier.

If they were doing the takedowns every couple of weeks the media would soon tire of it and the public visibility would be reduced thereby reducing your bargaining chips come budget renewal.

[Anonymous Coward]

Here we go again.....

Yet another Windows vulnerability being exploited by naughty people. What a surprise - NOT!