Malware makers must pay heavier price

A NEW COMPUTER VIRUS has spread online, which encrypts the files of an infected computer and displays a QR code on its screen. The victim must scan the code and pay 110 yuan ($16) in order to release the files. ThePaper.cn comments:

The new computer virus is not the only one of its kind. In May last year, Eternal Blue infected millions of computers globally, requiring the victims to pay a ransom in Bitcoins in order to get their computers released.

The new computer virus asks the victim to pay via WeChat, not Bitcoin. With about 900 million users, WeChat is already the most popular social media app in China and its payment function has a 40 percent share of the total third-party payment market.