The attack was carefully timed to exploit the global anxiety surrounding the AIDS epidemic.
In the late 1980s, AIDS was instilling fear and uncertainty in populations around the world.
Dr. Popp exploited this confluence of health anxiety and technological naivety.
While crude by today’s standards, the “AIDS Information” ransomware was groundbreaking for its time.
The malware encrypted file names rather than the files themselves.
This proved to be a crucial weakness, allowing for countermeasures to be developed.
Despite these remedies, several organizations suffered significant financial losses and data destruction from the attacks.
This behavior ultimately landed him in London’s Maudsley Hospital instead of prison.
Also read:The Evolution of Ransomware How Did We Get Here?
Additional expenses included registering the “PC Cyborg” company in Panama and securing accommodation in London.
Despite these substantial upfront costs, the potential returns were considerable.
