Here s another excellent reason not to browse adult websites at work TechRadar Skip to main content TechRadar is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here's why you can trust us. Here s another excellent reason not to browse adult websites at work By Sead Fadilpašić published 10 October 2022 Fake adult websites are being used to distribute malware (Image credit: Shutterstock) Audio player loading… Cybersecurity researchers have highlighted another reason not to browse dodgy adult websites: some of them are distributing viruses (opens in new tab) capable of completely destroying computers. Recently, experts from Cyble discovered a couple of websites, whose domain names suggest they could feature pornographic materials. As soon as someone navigates to these sites, they are prompted to download a file named "SexyPhotos.JPG.exe". While for the experienced web user this would trigger every mental alarm conceivable, people who are not as well-versed might fall for the trap, particularly as Windows hides file extensions by default. Ransomware or wipers When triggered, the file drops four executable files - del.exe, open.exe, windll.exe and windows.exe - as well as one batch file called avtstart.ba into the temporary folder on the target endpoint. Each file has a unique role to play in this attack, but in general, this is all made to look like a ransomware attack: the victim's files are renamed and blocked, and a ransom note is left behind, demanding $300 in Bitcoin or $600 if the payment doesn't come within three days.Read more> How ransomware turned into the stuff of nightmares for modern businesses > Ransomware is still a major threat for your business > These are the best identity theft protection solutions out there (opens in new tab) But the bigger problem is that this isn't a ransomware attack to begin with, but rather a file-wiping malware attack, whose operators have no intention of returning any files to the victims. "Even if a decryptor is provided, renaming files to their original file name is impossible as the malware (opens in new tab) is not storing them anywhere during the infection," Cyble explained. There is one way the effects of the wiper could be reversed, BleepingComputer has found. Apparently, the wiper doesn't delete shadow copies, allowing users to restore their operating system to a previous state. In other words, restoring the OS from an older backup may resolve the problem.These are the best endpoint protection services around Via BleepingComputer (opens in new tab) Sead Fadilpašić Sead is a seasoned freelance journalist based in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. He writes about IT (cloud, IoT, 5G, VPN) and cybersecurity (ransomware, data breaches, laws and regulations). In his career, spanning more than a decade, he's written for numerous media outlets, including Al Jazeera Balkans. He's also held several modules on content writing for Represent Communications. See more Computing news Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter Sign up to theTechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed! Thank you for signing up to TechRadar. You will receive a verification email shortly. There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again. MOST POPULARMOST SHARED1You may not have to sell a body part to afford the Nvidia RTX 4090 after all2One of the world's most popular programming languages is coming to Linux3The iPhone 14 Pro is made of the wrong stuff; the Pixel 7 proves that to me4Blizzard made me explain Overwatch 2 smurfing to my mum for nothing5Apple October launches: the new devices we might see this month1Best laptops for designers and coders 2The iPhone 14 Pro is made of the wrong stuff; the Pixel 7 proves that to me3Stop saying Mario doesn't have an accent in The Super Mario Bros. Movie4Microsoft Teams users are using it for a really bad reason, so stop now5iPhone 15 tipped to come with an upgraded 5G chip Technology Magazines (opens in new tab)● (opens in new tab)The best tech tutorials and in-depth reviewsFrom$12.99 (opens in new tab)View (opens in new tab)