Koda virus (ransomware). How to unlock your PC

The scary warning allegedly coming from KODA organization is a virus developed by hackers to steal money from unwary users. This malware is classified by us as ransomware because it locks the desktop of the infected PC and asks for certain amount of ransom to be paid in favor of the crooks who developed it. What is KODA, by the way?

KODA is a non-profit collective rights management society that administers Danish and international copyrights for music creators and publishers, when their music is performed in public. KODA’s two main tasks are to ensure that the music creators get paid when their music is played in public – and to ensure that the music users are able to clear the rights to the music they wish to use. KODA represents approximately 36,500 Danish composers, songwriters and music publishers. Through reciprocal contracts with rights societies in more than 115 countries, we offer the entire world repertoire of music in one single agreement.

This is the exact extract from description we found at the web-site of this organization. The warning that you see depicted at the screenshot has nothing to do with this company. Once again, this is a serious virus that some way or another got into your system. Here is what it says in Danish:

Din computer er blevet låst. Lås computeren op Der er fundet musik, som er ulovligt downloadet (piratkopieret), på din computer. Ved at downloade musikken er den blevet reproduceret, hvilket er en kriminel handling i henhold til Afsnit 106 i Loven orn ophavsret. Download af beskyttede sange via internettet eller netværker til musikdeling er ulovligt kan i henhold til Afsnit 106 i Loven orn ophavsret straffes med bøde eller fængsling i op til 3 år. Desuden er besiddelse af ulovligt downloadet musik strafbart i henhold til Afsnit 184 paragraf 3 i Straffeloven og kan også føres til konfiskering af computeren, sorn filerne er downloadet til. Du kan identificeres ved,at din IP-adresse og det tilhorende værtsnavn analyseres. Det ulovligt downloadede materiale er blevet krypteret og flyttet til en beskyttet mappe for at forhindre yderligere skade. Vil du låse din computer op og undgå andre lovmæssige konsekvenser, skal du betale et gebyr på 1000 DKK. Det kan betales via vores betalingspartner Ukash. Når du har foretaget din betaling, vil din computer automatisk blive låst op. Hvis du ikke gør dette, kan det medføre kriminelle anklager og eventuel fængsling. For at foretage betalingen skal du indtaste den kode, du har fået til Ukash i den dertil indrettede betalingsboks, vælg værdien for din kode og tryk derefter på knappen “Indsend”. Koda er legitimeret ved lov – og i nær kontakt med lovgiverne og Politi.

When you translate this portion of Danish text into English you will find out that the ransomware accuses users of downloading, keeping and spreading illegal multimedia (audio) samples in violation of ownership rights. However, you’ve never ever committed such crimes, have you? What you see in front of your screen is a scary notice that was developed by hackers specifically to rip you off, trick and deceive you. They want you to share some of your earnings with them, so they ask for the money to be paid to unlock your PC. And, by the way, the amount is quite high – 1000 DKK. Do not waste funds so easily and without a purpose. Instead, please follow the removal guide below that will help you remove this malware effectively and unlock your screen.

SOURCE: http://trojan-removal-guide.com/koda-virus-ransomware-how-to-unlock-your-pc/