According to Ars Technica, and first discovered by Robert Lipovsky of antivirus provider Eset, a trojan called SimpleShocker is locking user's phones, encrypting their pictures and other content and demanding Ransom for restoration. As of **w, Android users in eastern Europe are the main target.
In a screenshot posted to Sophos, a ****** is asking for 260 UAH (Ukraine Hryvnia), which is equal to $21, to unlock a device. After the transaction is made at a payment kiosk, the device will unlock within 24 hours. The message typically accuses the user of some type of crime too, such as downloading illegal software. Read more...