Panicked, John shut down his computer and disconnected from the internet. He spent the rest of the night researching ways to recover his computer and remove the malware.

It wasn't until he tried to open his web browser that John realized the true extent of the problem. The browser wouldn't open, and instead, he was presented with a ransom message demanding $500 in exchange for restoring access to his computer.

John was shocked and outraged. He realized that the "free" copy of Pes 2008 had come with a hefty price tag – his computer's security and his personal data.