TeslaCrypt Ransomware Creators Apologize, Release Master Decryption Key

Have you ever done something that you knew was bad, but did it anyway? And then later you felt really bad about it, and wanted to make up for what you did? Well that's exactly what happened to one group of ransomware makers.

TeslaCrypt is a particularly nasty bit of ransomware that we've covered in the past. It has been around since early last year, and the creators have continued to further develop it, to make sure that it's as effective as possible. If you're not familiar with ransomware, it's a form of malware that will encrypt your files and hold them for ransom. Only once you pay the creator of the software can you get access to all of your important files.

The software had its most recent update back in March of this year. While earlier versions could be worked around with a fair amount of effort, TeslaCrypt 3.0 was pretty much unbreakable. Once it locked your files away, they were gone for good, unless you paid up.

But in a strange turn of events, the creators of the ransomware have given up their life of holding files hostage. If you visit the group's page, you'll be greeted with a brief apology, and the master key for decrypting files. No other explanation has been given. The key has since been used by researchers to produce a decrypting tool, which should work on all computers that have been infected with any version of the TeslaCrypt ransomware. You can download that tool here.

VIA: WeLiveSecurity