{"id":91553,"date":"2018-09-17T21:01:08","date_gmt":"2018-09-18T04:01:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/securingtomorrow.mcafee.com\/?p=91553"},"modified":"2025-08-13T01:01:46","modified_gmt":"2025-08-13T08:01:46","slug":"three-politically-themed-ransomware","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/internet-security\/three-politically-themed-ransomware\/","title":{"rendered":"Insights on the Capabilities of Three Politically-Themed Ransomware Campaigns"},"content":{"rendered":"

We all hear politicians\u2019 names week over week \u2013 what policies they\u2019re working on, new initiatives they\u2019re implementing for their respective country, the list goes on. And now, we\u2019re hearing about their names in a new context. Specifically, former U.S. President Barack Obama, current U.S. President Donald Trump, and Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel all now have ransomware campaigns named after them. But just how effective are these politically-themed threats and how do they impact users? Let\u2019s break it down.<\/p>\n

Just recently identified, the Obama ransomware campaign<\/a> is a bit non-traditional in its approach. The threat only targets specific files on a user\u2019s computer and actually attempts to stop some anti-malware products<\/a> from doing their job. What\u2019s more \u2013 the malware also uses a victim\u2019s device to mine for cryptocurrency<\/a>. Said to be created by the same cybercriminal group behind the Obama ransomware, the Trump ransomware<\/a> variant is similar in its capabilities to the Obama variant, but is not nearly as developed.<\/p>\n

Tips to Protect Yourself From Ransomware Attacks<\/h2>\n

Now, the ransomware campaign named after German leader Angela Merkel encrypts files using an extension dubbed .angelamerkel. It also demands Euros when making its ransom demand, so it stays pretty true to theme.<\/p>\n

In short, all these ransomware campaigns are unique in their capabilities and objectives, similar to the politicians they are named for. Now, with all these strains out in the wild, what are the next steps for users wishing to stay protected from a ransomware attack? Start by following these tips:<\/p>\n