Ransomware Basics: Common Methods Employed for a Ransomware Infiltration

April 20, 2018

This is the second blog in the series where we are touching upon some of the fundamental knowledge about ransomware attacks. The purpose of this series is to ensure that our readers remain fully familiar with this contemporary cyber threat and can timely employ preventive measures. Moreover, this information will also help them in picking the right ransomware repair services.

Here, we will discuss different methods or vectors that are used by ransomware operators to deliver cryptovirological codes to the devices of targeted users.

Email

Email is the most commonly used delivery method in many of the ransomware campaigns.

Attachments

Malicious email attachments are used by ransomware operators to transfer cryptographic codes. Social engineering is at full demonstration while crafting the mails that contain these malicious attachments. In most of the cases, these attachments are word files, Java scripts or any other portable executable extension. Victims download these attachments as they are instructed in the mail. However, instead of downloading any useful piece of information, they inadvertently download the payload of a ransomware strain.

This type of delivery method is effectively used by ransomware operators to infect organizational networks by exploiting the technological unawareness of employee.

Web Links

Emails through social engineering tactics is also used to redirect the users to the web links that directly transfer the payload of a ransomware to the targeted devices.

Exploit Kits

As the name suggests, these are the hidden software kits responsible to run malicious web pages. These web pages asses and exploit vulnerabilities of the targeted user’s device. Exploit kits start to run as soon as a user visits a compromised web address. If the kit succeeds in finding out the vulnerabilities of the device, a payload of the ransomware strain infiltrates into the device by a drive-by download.

As soon as the payload of a ransomware strain is transferred to the targeted device, encryption activity starts which results into the lockdown of the stored data. The affected victims then need professional ransomware repair services to get back the access to their locked down files.

For assistance on file recovery, please contact MonsterCloud Cyber Security experts for a professional ransomware removal.

Profiling Some Infamous Ransomware Strains of Late

April 20, 2018

In last two years, the cyberspace has witnessed some of the deadly attacks in the form of ransomware infiltrations. We know that cybercriminals are always working from the sphere of anonymity. Therefore, it is always difficult for cyber security professionals to identify any ransomware strain with the motives of its operators.

However, by analyzing cyber attacks orchestrated by using particular ransomware strains, one can profile them. Let’s have a look on how some of the notorious ransomware strains of recent time are used by their operators.

SamSam

This ransomware strain might be the biggest cyber threat of this year, just like WannaCry was for the last year. From affecting large private public networks (Allscripts) to target the systems of local governments (Atlanta), this cryptovirological strain has been successfully employed by its operators to cause wide scale technological destruction in last couple of months.

If we dissect all the noteworthy SamSam attacks, it can be easily inferred that the culprits behind these cyber criminal activity target those organizations that can afford to pay hefty extortion money to remove ransomware. In addition, SamSam operators have targeted all those organizations where downtime is considered very critical.

In cases of SamSam attacks, companies that refused to pay the operators to remove ransomware had to spend millions of dollars to disinfect and restore their networks and systems.

WannaCry

WannaCry attacks might be the largest cyber assault that we have ever seen where hundreds and thousands of users got affected in more than 150 countries. With the available information on the subject, experts have concluded that the attack was launched or facilitated by the rogue state of North Korea to disrupt the worldwide status quo while minting money through ransom payments. Some estimates suggest that more than one billion dollar have been spent by the affected users globally to remove this ransomware strain and for other recovery measures.

Locky

It is another ransomware strain that is primarily used to attack large organizations including government bodies and for the same reason as SamSam i.e. to ask for large sum of money to remove ransomware infection.

For assistance on file recovery, please contact MonsterCloud Cyber Security experts for a professional ransomware removal.

Ransomware Basics: Different Types of Ransomware

April 16, 2018

We are starting a blog series where we will discuss different fundamental information about the cyber threat of ransomware. The purpose of this new blog thread is to educate and inform all those individuals who are new to the cyber world and not well-acquainted with different threats lingering in that space, particularly ransomware.

Let’s kick off the series by discussing different types of ransomwares used by cybercriminals to rip off the victims.

Crypto or Locker Ransomware

Crypto or Locker is the most frequently used ransomware. This malware code is developed to lock down the data on the affected device through encryption. The operators of such attacks demand money to provide a key for unlocking the encrypted files. Some of its variants also lock down the system applications.

For the past two to three years, crypto ransomware has been the most fearsome cyber threat faced by the organizations and individuals worldwide. You can measure the extent of crypto ransomware’s destruction by the fact that one of its strains has affected users in more than 150 countries.

Scareware

As the name suggests, this ransomware is heavily relied on scare tactics to coerce the victims for ransom payment. The underlying code of this ransomware is quite different from the traditional ransomware, which is written by the principles of cryptovirology. In scareware attacks, usually a ransom note pops on the desktop of the affected user that alleges severe offences on him and asks for ‘penalty’ to avoid legal percussions.

The operators of such attacks mention locale address and the name of the ISP to make their ransom note look more authentic. Even false allegations of horrendous acts (e.g. watching child pornography) forces many victims to pay the attackers instead of contacting the authorities.

Pseudo Ransomware

Pesudo ransomware is a malware that doesn’t employ any encryption module to lock down the files on the affected device. Instead, it deletes the files from the computer straight away and makes some fake files and folders to trick the victims into believing that they can get back their data after the payment of ransom. However, the attackers vanish after the payment of ransom and the victim loses their data forever.

For assistance on file recovery, please contact MonsterCloud Cyber Security experts for a professional ransomware removal.

Only a Minority of IT Security Executives Can Deter Ransomware Attacks

April 9, 2018

A recent survey from the software company SolarWinds has furnished a very worrying conclusion regarding the aptitude of IT executive to prevent large-scale ransomware attacks. Among the security experts who took part in the survey, only 30 percent were positive that they can put off a ransomware attack. It’s worth mentioning that senior IT professionals from the US and UK were part of the survey.

Organizations Remain Careless

The survey also points out towards another worrisome prospect regarding digital and network security of organizations. As per the respondents’ replies, nearly one-third of the surveyed organizations are still working without any specialized cyber security department neither do they consult any external security professional. This means they are completely exposed to cyber attacks and it’s just a matter of time before they suffer a hit.

Nevertheless, there is a silver lining to the situation as well because survey indicates that the awareness regarding ransomware attacks is increasing. Nearly 70 percent of surveyees were completely familiar with the threat of ransomware attacks such as WannaCry and NotPetya, both of them were the deadliest cyber attacks of the last year.

Another take-away from the survey is that organizations will still have to rely on outsourced services to remove ransomware since majority of their IT workforce is not equipped to prevent these cryptographical attacks.

The survey also tells us that many organizations face budget constraints and that lead to less allocated resources for the network security. VP of security architecture at SolarWinds has some helpful points to share with companies that don’t have enough money to set up an entire department to look over their cyber security.

It is important to keep on with the latest software patches. It is an essential security measure against cyber threats including ransomware and doesn’t cost much.
Organizations can increase their cyber hygiene without spending a buck by educating their employees regarding several basics of online security.

These two measures can be implemented without exhausting your budget. Otherwise, be prepared to pay a good sum of money to remove ransomware from your devices and network.

For assistance on file recovery, please contact MonsterCloud Cyber Security experts for a professional ransomware removal.

Michigan Declares Possession of Ransomware a Punishable Offense

April 5, 2018

This Monday, the governor of Michigan approved two bills introduced by the state legislators to deter the ongoing prevalence of ransomware attacks. Both of the bills were formulated to severely criminalize ransomware and associated activities. According to the new cyber legislation of Michigan, any person possessing ransomware can be punished to up to three years of jail time as per the nature and extent of his activity.

Initially the lawmakers wanted to set 10 year prison time for ransomware offences. However, after several discussions on the floor, it was cut down to three years. According to the main sponsor of the Bill, House rep. Brandt Iden, these bills were introduced to fix a legislative ambiguity where law can only punish perpetrators for introducing ransomware, but not for owning it.

As per the new bill, any arrested cyber criminal can end up in jail if a ransomware is found in his possession whether it was used to infect any system or not. Both the bills received overwhelming support from the both houses of the state’s parliament.

Experts think that it will make it easier for law enforcement agencies to chase down the alleged cyber criminals involved in the development of ransomware codes and their affiliates. Some are also hopeful that the criminalization of ransomware possession will also help in curbing the burgeoning business of Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS).

Read Also: “Ransomware-as-a-service Playing Crucial Role in the Prevalence of Ransomware Attacks”

Felony of ransomware possession will be treated like any other crime where prosecutors have to prove the false intent of the alleged individual before charging him for ransomware possession.

Moreover, Michigan lawmakers have put some thought while devising the bills unlike their Georgian counterparts and allows the possession of ransomware by security experts for research works. Aside from performing ransomware repairs, it seems like digital security experts will now also help the state to prove the malicious intent of cyber criminals caught with ransomware.

According to the statistics furnished by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, in 2017 individuals and enterprises in Michigan experienced more than 1,300 ransomware attacks resulted in the losses of $2.6 million including ransomware repairs.

For assistance on file recovery, please contact MonsterCloud Cyber Security experts for a professional ransomware removal.

Ransomware-as-a-service Playing Crucial Role in the Prevalence of Ransomware Attacks

April 2, 2018

Ransomware attacks are getting bigger and better in their scope. Wide-reaching destructions of NotPetya and WannaCry are some recent examples where ransomware attacks have even brought about tensions between countries.

Moreover, a research report indicates that nearly half of the companies were hit by ransomware attacks last year and majority of them were targeted more than once. The research was conducted by a British security software company Sophos on the current state of endpoint security of digital systems. Businesses that got affected by ransomware in 2017 had to spend $133,000 on average to deal with the fallout of these attacks.

According to experts, the availability of ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) is one of the reasons why ransomware attacks are becoming so regular and universal.

Ransomware programs are not run-of-the-mill malware codes. Only highly skilled and experienced cyber criminals can devise an ingenious ransomware attack. Therefore, ransomware activities stay beyond the scope of amateurs. However, RaaS enables all such ambitious cyber criminals who don’t have the prowess to carry out their own ransomware attacks to get the services of third-party developers from the criminal world of dark web. The catch of using RaaS by novices is to get a good sum of money for encryption key from the affected parties to restore ransomware files. Research team at Sophos studied one such ransomware kit available on the dark web for least skilled cyber criminals to work out their ransomware outings on the template of that kit.

Expert cryptovirologists are also exploring new methods to make their ransomware programs undetectable because it will add value to RaaS. For instance, they are now using built-in features such as non-executable malware code to get around the detection from endpoint protection code.

This unannounced collaboration between cyber criminals in the form of RaaS is indicative of the fact that more trouble is yet to come for organisations that are completely reliant on digital systems for their operations. We have already discussed how robots might be the next target of ransomware operators. Similarly, in future owners of smart homes and cars may also need ransomware removal services to get back the control of their valuables.

For assistance on file recovery, please contact MonsterCloud Cyber Security experts for a professional ransomware removal.