Inquiries about threats to "shoot you in browsing an adult website" and suspicious emails asking for bitcoin have increased again.

Journalism

Suspicious email specifically advises "Don't fall into the same situation."

　"spreading images of you browsing adult websites" and "sexual intimidation" threatening to remit virtual currency have a lot of inquiries about emails, and the Independent Administrative legal person Information processing Promotion Agency (IPA) has attracted attention.

　IPA was first consulted on this approach around March 2018. By the end of September 2019, the cumulative number of consultations had risen to about 1300, and 76 had been received in September of the same year alone.

　In addition, according to the tweet on the official Twitter account (@ IPA_anshin) of the IPA information security advisory window, about 50 inquiries have been received as of March 29, 2021, which is very eye-catching.

　There are many modes of threatening emails related to sex, such as "adding malware to the website you visit, collecting contacts on email and social networking sites," and "if you don't want your family and colleagues to spread images. So far, it has been confirmed that the money will be paid in virtual currency within a specified period of time.

　The email confirmed in March 2021 is literally the same threatening letter, requiring it to remit 160000 yuan worth of bitcoin within 48 hours of opening it. Finally, the article said: "Please don't fall into the same situation in the future!" My warning is to change your password frequently! Messages with "(original mother) and other advice are also characteristic."

　It was also confirmed that the sender was impersonated on the email address of the recipient of the message, but ignored in the event of receipt of these suspicious emails, based on the IPA appeal that did not correspond to the payment.

　In addition, none of the cases such as image dissemination caused by the failure to respond to the payment have been confirmed.