The WannaCry ransomware attack caused massive damage globally. A lot of computers and entire systems were crippled by this malware over the course of only a few days. It now appears there is a WannaCry variant targeting the Android ecosystem. To our relief, the Chinese police officials have arrested the developers. This goes to show some countries take these issues far more seriously than others.
There is a version of WannaCry which is designed specifically to target the Android ecosystem. Two men have been arrested due to their alleged involvement in the distribution of SLocker, a powerful Android ransomware. At a glance SLocker looks just like WannaCry, but it works different under the hood. It is not uncommon for developers to rename existing malware if they make minor modifications to the code.
The SLocker ransomware has than 100 victims, which is good considering how effective some ransomwares are. Victims are asked to pay a $6 ransom, which needs to be paid through QQ, Alipay, or WeChat. There is no mention of Bitcoin or any other cryptocurrencies on this Android variant of WannaCry. That is somewhat surprising, but may make sense. In China, WeChat, QQ, and Alipay are incredibly popular, and sending $6 worth of RMB to another person is incredibly easy.
News Source: https://themerkle.com/developers-of-wannacry-ransomware-arrested-by-chinese-police/