Cisco takes down malware hackers

If you have never experienced it, you have probably heard about it: your computer gets infected by hackers, who surreptitiously insert software that locks all of your files. The next thing you know, you’re receiving payment instructions that say for $200 to $300 or more, you can have control of your computer back.

Such attacks by one malware tool called the Angler Exploit kit nets hackers more than $30 million annually, according to a BBC story. But this week, the tech firm Cisco announced it has uncovered how the hack works and will issue a patch that many users can install to protect their machines.

Still, the company warns that some users may remain vulnerable, and notes that hackers will eventually adapt to the fix. Estimates suggest that Angler Exploit hackers currently target as many as 90,000 people a day, with nearly half of the attacks occurring on servers connected to U.S. based web hosting providers.

Angler works by breaching vulnerabilities in Flash, Java, and other plug-ins, and is feared as one of the most advanced tools used by hackers. The fix to Angler involves disrupting its ability to communicate through the internet, rendering it ineffective.

Still, Cisco believes that attacks by hackers using Angler will continue and could eventually generate double the revenue that hackers are currently taking in.