Should Systems That Have Been Attacked by Ransomware be Used Again?

March 26, 2020

Ransomware or ransom malware is a kind of virus which is used to not only corrupt a system and prevent its user from accessing his/her personal files, but also sometimes threatens to publish the user’s data or block access to it completely. This kind of virus, as the name suggests, requires the user to pay a ransom price to the author of the virus in order to regain access to the corrupted files.

How does a ransomware attack a system?

There are many ways in which ransomware can infect your system. The most common way of supplying this infection is through malicious spam or malspam. Malspam is an email which provides the virus into the targeted computer. The email may consist of attachments like PDFs or Word documents with hyperlinks to malicious websites. Malspam tricks people into opening attachments and links, which made to seem legitimate. Another very popular infection method is malvertising, which is online advertising used to distribute malware. While browsing the web, including legitimate sites, users can be directed to criminal servers without ever clicking on an ad.

Using a system after it has been attacked by ransomware

A system that has been infected by a ransom malware can definitely be used again, but only after ransomware removal. The first thing to keep in mind while dealing with the issue is to never pay the ransom price! Paying the author of the virus will only encourage him to supply more malware to you and other people.

There are many ways to deal with a ransom malware infection. The first is by downloading a security product known for remediation and running a scan to remove the threat. It is not sure whether you will get your files back or not, but the removal of the infection is promised. For screen-locking ransomware, a full system restore might be necessary for ransomware removal. If that fails to work, you can use a bootable CD or USB drive to run a scan.

If you want to try and impede the working of encrypting ransomware infection in action, you’ll need to stay particularly vigilant. The first indication that your system is infected is when it starts slowing down for no reason. If you notice it happening, then shut down your system and also disconnect it from the internet. Once you turn your computer on again and the malware is still active, it will not be able to send or receive instructions from the controlling server. Hence, it will block any kind of communication necessary for the spreading of the infection. In this way, the malware may stay idle. You can then use antivirus software, run a scan, and locate and get rid of the ransom malware completely.

After ransomware removal, your system is good to be used again. The only difference is, now you need to be more careful so that your system does not get infected again.

Precautions to not let ransomware infect your system again

Once your system is free of any ransom malware infection, it is important to keep it that way, to avoid losing any more data. You can download a security software which will not only prevent your system from being infected again but will also let you know on time if any ransomware infection has made its way into your computer. It is also necessary for you to not download software or give administrative privileges to one when you do not know exactly what it is and what it does. Lastly, of course, back up your files regularly! So, if any virus does infect your computer, you have one less thing to worry about.

Ransomware and Bitcoin

February 4, 2020

Cybercrime has become an increasingly prevalent threat for businesses, law firms, security companies and the general public throughout the world. One of the most frequent being a ransomware attack.

Ransomware is malicious software that targets the operating systems in gadgets such as computers, tablets, and mobile phones. The virus enters your hard drive and encrypts all your files, rendering them inaccessible. Ransomware removal then requires a decryption key to retrieve all data. Generally, hackers demand hefty amounts of money, with the most commonly preferred method of payment being Bitcoins. But why is that so?

To answer this, we first need to have a thorough understanding of what a Bitcoin is and how it is used for transactions. An entirely digital currency, Bitcoin does not rely on any banks or governments. Bitcoin, as a currency, today is considered to have an even greater value than gold and is becoming increasingly popular throughout the world. In fact, according to recent BBC reports, around 6 million people currently have online Bitcoin wallets. This digital means of transaction is gradually being adopted by customers who use this electronic cash to purchase various products from groceries to tickets.

However, another reason for the rising interest in Bitcoin is its preference by hackers. With the intensifying rates of cybercrimes worldwide, attackers increasingly favor and rely on this digital currency. The main reason behind this is that these transactions can be anonymized, which reduces the chances of them being identified. Even though bitcoin transactions can be traced back, however, due to lack of data, it is practically not possible to detect the recipient. Once the recipient receives the money via Bitcoins, they can easily convert the coins into cash. Moreover, in order to remove all evidence of previous transactions and ownerships, the hackers wash them away with the Dark Web, leaving no signs.

Another reason for Bitcoin to be highly favored by hackers is its ability to provide a fast, efficient and reliable method of receiving payment. This well-designed network allows the hacker to trace the victim’s payment and even generate unique addresses for each victim. Once the ransom has been paid, the process of decrypting the data for each victim can be automated.

As a result, when data is encrypted by malware on a system, the ransomware attacker demands payment in bitcoin by providing a Bitcoin address to which the victim has to send the money in order to decrypt the data. The victim thereby has to pay the money for ransomware removal to regain access to his files. Many times, a strict deadline is provided after which the number of ransom doubles.

In most scenarios, however, the crooks are not interested in the stolen information, but rather the value the victims assign to their data and the amount they are willing to pay for ransomware removal. This provides a profitable source of monetization for them. The attackers are, therefore, masterfully able to make huge profits with this service due to the ease of creating a virtual wallet, and infecting systems with ransomware.

Even though the main aim of Bitcoin was to revolutionize the currency market and evolve the way financial transactions are conducted, its involvement with criminal activity and the dark web have thwarted its reputation and hindered its progress.

Can you trust your employees? How to keep your data protected?

February 2, 2020

Employees are an integral part of any organization. They have a key role to play in the success of any organization as they contribute effectively towards the accomplishment of goals. They truly are an asset, and employers should value their employees and put their trust in them in order to ensure the successful functioning of the company.

However, unfortunately, sometimes trusting employees immensely can be detrimental to the organization itself. This is much likely to happen in larger organizations, with a large pool of team members. This greatly increases the chances of an employee to breach or leak the data outside the company’s premises.

The employee may do so as vengeance or dissatisfaction from the company or employer. Their personal issues lead them to retaliate against the company, instigating them to use their power against the company and cause potential harm.

It is imperative for organizations to ensure the privacy and security of the businesses and customers, and their information. For this to be done, it is vital to invest in security resources. But, at the same time, it is also true that these organizations, be it small businesses, big corporations or public institutions, often become the target of hacks and leaks. In many incidents of a data breach, a malicious insider is responsible for maltreating the information they had access to.

In today’s day and age, protection of private information is vital for the wellbeing of a business to avoid becoming prey to any data breaches or malware infecting the system, since viruses like ransomware require huge amounts of money to be paid.

Let’s explore a list of ways that you can implement to secure your data from the entire staff:

Firstly, limit the level of access to data only to the employees and company stakeholders who need it for the operations of the company. Regrettably, you cannot trust all your employees, regardless of their position in the company. Many workers have access to much more information than required, and sometimes, they might intentionally or unintentionally end up leaking data – may be as simple as login details. But, to the employer this is a huge deal since an outsider now has confidential information about the company, thereby increasing the chances of probable hacks and malware to infect the system.

The staff should be made aware of the possible ways a malware might try to infect the system, or a hacker might try to encrypt the data. They should be warned about spam emails and infected website links that may cause viruses such as ransomware to enter the system and invade it. Ransomware removal itself is an excruciating task. You also need to give strict measures to your staff on sharing sensitive information outside the premises as companies do realize the potential threats these data breaches are capable of causing.

Another way to protect your data from breaches is by encrypting it, with access only in the owner’s hands. This way, you can open it whenever you want, and it significantly reduces the chances of a hacker accessing it if they’re able to get in the system.

Backup! The most crucial key to securing data on any software is to create a backup. It is extremely imperative to make regular backups of all your data. You wouldn’t want to lose all your data to hackers, so backup your databases to keep your information secured. It is best to do so on an external, physical drive, making multiple iterations that can also be uploaded on another system. However, uploading secure and confidential data on an online, cloud-based drive is not the most efficient approach since digital storage is more vulnerable to hacking.

Installing tracking software to workplace computers is essential to ensure the safety of the data. This provides warrants of any forbidden actions that an employee may take to compromise the privacy or break the security policy. Once the system is encrypted with such viruses or malware, ransomware removal requires a lot of effort. This security measure not just prevents mistakes from happening but also enables the employer to identify the culprit in such a case.

Being a professional organization, it is imperative that employers keep their employees connected together and provide them with fringe benefits in order to keep them satisfied and stop them from developing feelings of revenge.

However, at the same time, it is crucial to maintain a certain degree of the company’s privacy from the employees so that the data remains secured and the threat of any breach is minimized.

How can the top management of a company deal with a ransomware situation?

February 1, 2020

To be stuck in a ransomware situation is one of the worst things management of any company can be faced with. It is one of the easiest and quickest ways to rack in money from the victims. While all the big corporates are investing tremendously in cybersecurity. Ransomware still remains a potential threat at large. That is feared by many companies and corporations in this ever so fast-growing cyber world. With the first instances appearing in the year 2005, more than $11 billion has been lost through ransomware so far.

Better be safe than sorry – in case of any unfortunate event. The following is a list of decisions that must be taken by the company management in order to handle the ransomware situation.

Find the root & filter it

There are many ways someone can infect your system. Two of the most common ways, however, include a link or an email attachment. As soon as you open them, you’re faced with a message demanding ransom. At this point, all the files and data on your system are at risk of loss. So, in a situation like that, it is vital to find a particular device that is infected. Depending upon your system, you can filter out the particular infected device and disconnect it from other devices in the system. So that the infection does not spread to other devices and no more crucial data is at risk.

Reach out to the concerned authorities

The incidents of ransomware have gradually increased. Companies today are aware of the sensitivity of ransomware situations, which is why many companies house special IT teams, especially for such situations. When hit with a ransomware attack, alert the concerned authorities immediately. Smaller companies that house no security IT teams, must immediately report the incident to the cybercrime.

Search for decryption tools

In some cases, the ransomware removal can be done by using the decryption tools if you are aware of the type of ransomware.

Take a decision

If none of the above works, you are faced with a decision whether to pay up or lose all your files. While it is suggested not to pay up since it further brings ransomware into the limelight as the easiest way to make quick money. The decision, however, lies greatly on how important the information is for you. If it is crucial, paying up a few hundred dollars may seem like a sensible idea. But if the information on the device does not mean much to you, feel free to ignore the message and reinstall the entire operating system.

Run an antivirus program

Once you’re done with your effort for ransomware removal, run an antivirus on the device. This will help go through each file present on the system and detect if it poses a threat to your device. Much of the cyberattack clues are found in the metadata. A good anti-malware program will immediately alert you if something fishy is detected.

How Does a Ransomware Attack Happen?

January 29, 2020

Ransomware threats have become dreadfully frequent and widespread, such that they are undoubtedly the biggest threat in the cyber world today. Cybercriminals are now using increasingly sophisticated techniques and advanced methods to trick victims and attack their systems. One of the most recurrently used methods is email scams. These specialized encryption algorithms and social engineering skills developed by the ransomware creators cause a great degree of exploitation in the victim’s system, especially if it lacks proper cybersecurity.

It’s crucial for every user, be it an individual or a company, to have proper knowledge of how and what a ransomware attack is capable of doing to your computer, as well as probable methods for ransomware removal and protection.

Let’s explore the various methods and practices used by cybercriminals to deliver malware to a user’s system.

The most common way for ransomware to enter a user’s system is via email as well as through compromised website links. This happens in several ways:

Malicious Attachments – this malware is delivered in the form of an executable file, image or archive via an email. The attached document may seem authentic, and nowhere close to a virus and may be as simple as a resume, a new project or official data analysis of a company. Once the user clicks on the attachment to open it, it is released into the system. However, it may remain dormant for some time and operates in the background until the data locking system is installed in the software and all files are encrypted. Once this happens, the victim is informed about the virus attack through a dialogue box appearing on the screen, demanding a ransom for ransomware removal to unlock the encrypted data again.

Phishing emails- this is a very commonly used scam by these felons to infect your system with malware. It involves collecting personal information of the users through delusive emails and links. Fake, official emails, for example, from banks, providing links to websites are sent to the victims where they end up providing their confidential information such as bank account details and passwords, enabling the malware to enter into the system.

Malicious Links – these deceptive links sent via email, which appear to be genuine, redirect the user to an infected website, resulting in the malware to be downloaded in the system and encrypt the computer’s hard disk. These malicious and fraudulent URLs deceive the victim into clicking them, thereby retrieving information from their systems. However, this may also occur when the user unknowingly visits a website that is infected, resulting in the malware being downloaded without his knowledge.

Once the malware encrypts the files in the victim’s systems, it delivers the message to the user informing them that their files are now inaccessible and can only be decrypted once the ransom payment has been made. In some cases, however, the victim might be presented with a fake message, claiming to be a law enforcement firm that locked the data in the system due to the presence of illegal activities, pirated software or pornography. This basically reduces the likelihood of the victim reporting the attack to the authorities.

Since, you’re now aware of how potential ransomware can enter your computer, take the necessary security steps to prevent the ransomware attacks to hit you! Be cautious of spam emails and extremely vigilant when opening vulnerable websites to protect yourself and your company from exploitation. Hence, it is imperative to adopt preventive measures as ransomware removal and recovery is a difficult and tedious process.

Is it safe to use a Ransomware effected system?

January 28, 2020

Is it safe to use a Ransomware affected system?

A ransomware attack leads to adverse consequences on the attacked system, be it an individual user or a business. In recent years, it has become one of the greatest security threats due to its potential to cause immense damage.

Ransomware not just causes disruptions in regular operations and reduces productivity, but also results in temporary or even permanent loss of essential information and data. In attempts to restore the files and system, massive financial losses might occur due to paying the ransom – IT costs, legal fees and other recovery costs. Not only this, but a ransomware attack has the potential of considerably affecting an organization’s reputation. Furthermore, investments need to be made to install improved security measures to prevent any further attacks.

A ransomware attack on your system can be pretty terrifying, but you shouldn’t freak out! Calm down and consider the options for ransomware removal.

If you see a dialogue box appear on your screen informing you about the encryption of your files or locked system, the first step is to immediately disconnect it from the network to prevent dissemination to other systems, otherwise, the attack will quickly spread through the network, thereby infecting all the connected PC’s. Ensure that the affected system is completely disconnected from the internet and other devices.

Determining whether it is safe to use a ransomware affected system considerably depends on the type of attack. No doubt ransomware is a serious nuisance, but not all of them are so difficult to deal with.

Cybersecurity officials categorize ransomware in three levels:

Low Risk: in this case, there is a spam antivirus which claims to detect malware in the system and demands money for its removal. This is easier to remove from the system.

Medium Risk: this type of malware claims to be a legal entity and locks the system due to the presence of some illegal activity on your PC. A fine needs to be paid to unlock the screen.

The software programs for these two kinds are typically installed in the computer system. They can be physically uninstalled from the list. Anti-malware solutions are also an effective tool to identify and remove any such programs and detect any other infection that might be present on the system.

Dangerous: this type of malware encrypts the data and files in the user’s systems and demands a ransom to decrypt it back. This is the most difficult type of malware to deal with since it uses a high-grade encryption algorithm and no tool can really fix it.

However, there are a few ways for this ransomware removal, which include restoring backups, using decryption tools or negotiating with hackers.

Although an infected computer can still be used, there is still a risk of the data being lost, and the virus spreading to other systems if connected to the internet. Therefore, it is imperative to get rid of the Ransomware as soon as possible.

A number of ransomware removal and checker tools are available to detect the kind of malware injected the PC and assist the victim. You basically need to find the right tool to help decrypt the locked data. This software should, therefore, be installed in your system to get rid of the virus and prevent any future attacks.

All computer users should, therefore, install cybersecurity software. With the ever-increasing malware attacks, the inbuilt security software with the operating system is not sufficient.

How to Manage Ransomware Threats?

May 30, 2019

Ransomware attacks have become stronger than ever as the internet has become increasingly vulnerable to these issues. Every day, at least 10 small or big businesses are hacked or systems are penetrated into by outsiders. Some get lucky and break through the firewall while others do not have good encryption to penetrate through a system. Hence, it is a matter of time before you will see something pop up on your screen too. How do you deal with it? Well, there’s no manual on it, but researchers and IT experts have come up with a few suggestions for companies and home-based users to be able to understand what they need to do.

Ransomware is the same all over the world. Whether they hack into your system and decrypt it or they send a worm which slowly infects your computer system. The methods are more or less the same and so are the modes of payment. It must be kept in mind that you are paying to get the data back. The recipient is a criminal and has no sympathy for you, your family or your company. So once you have paid, there’s no guarantee that data will be fully recovered. Moreover, as it may seem obvious to the hacker that your system is more vulnerable to these issues, he might want to give away your credentials to other hackers or use your current information to demand later on.

People who are the least interested in updating their software are the easiest targets. Their computers are easily hacked and they end up paying. System upgrades are the first step in trying to avoid these issues.

In case you have been a victim, do not pay the ransom. Retrieving your files may not be as easy as you think. This is because malware may have been designed by different attackers so the key to encrypt a file may be hard to find. In some cases, you might be able to crack the code. If this doesn’t work, then you might want to restore your entire system.

A restoration is an option which will clean your system and you will lose all your files. Another way is to disconnect your system from the internet and back up the files which are not affected and reboot the system.

You may also download and run security software to check and clear your system of any malware. Remember, if your system is not connected to the internet, it will lose contact with its own command and control server. This way it will remain idle and won’t harm the system.

If all fails, the best possible solution is to take the help of an IT specialist and let him get rid of the virus from your system.

To avoid all of these hassles, keep your system updated, install an antivirus and put up a firewall to protect your computer system from all sorts of attacks.

MonsterCloud’s CEO Zohar Pinhasi Talks about RYUK Ransomware on NBC

May 19, 2019

MonsterCloud's CEO Zohar Pinhasi Talks about RYUK Ransomware on WPTV

According to the FBI RYUK Ransomware is still a major threat. Regardless of Antivirus softwares, different strains continue to hit businesses and government entities causing damages for millions of dollars. Our CEO and Cybersecurity expert Zohar Pinhasi was invited by NBC to discuss the potential threat and possibly advice people on how to protect themselves.

RYUK Ransomware Protection

The protection from ransomware could be a complex operation but the important thing is for everyone to understand that the backups, and the education of employees and co-workers is crucial. Not investing enough in cybersecurity can end up being very costly as ransomware attacks can hit again after paying the ransom or decrypting the virus with other means.

See the interview with Zohar below and let us know what you think in the comments!

Ransomware Delivery through Phishing Campaigns

January 25, 2019

A single biological virus strain from a single point of origin can infect hundreds and thousands of people. Ransomware infection also spreads like a medical virus. Ransomware delivery on a single device can affect numerous devices connected to the same server.

In other words, the success of a ransomware attack largely depends on how it is delivered to the targeted digital environment. Cryptovirological operators use several techniques to deliver the payload of ransomware to the intended targets, and phishing campaigns is one of them.

Phishing emails were initially used to steal confidential information and login credentials of the affected users. However, cybercriminals have upgraded and extended the use of phishing emails. Now, they are also used for the delivery of malware scripts including ransomware.

Why Cryptovirological Operators Use Phishing Campaigns?

By devising a phishing campaign, ransomware operators are able to target hundreds and thousands of users in a single go. This mass distribution actually ensures that more people become a victim of the malware, which in turn increases the chances for the attacker to rack more money in the name of ransomware removal.

Different Ransomware Distribution Methods through Phishing Mails

There are two definite ways in which ransomware can be distributed through phishing campaigns.

Malicious Attachments

Ransomware operators often use malicious attachments of zip files embedded with a cryptovirological script. As users download them out of curiosity, the malware payload is delivered on the device.

Infected URLs

Some phishing emails contain infected URLs and urge users to click them through several social engineering tactics. These URLs are already infected with ransomware. Upon clicking the link, the cryptovirological infection is automatically downloaded on the device.

If you don’t want to pay heavy extortion amounts for ransomware removal, make it certain that you are not clicking any link or attachment of a mail sent by an unknown user.

GandCrab Ransomware Operators Might have Racked 300 Million from Victims this Year

January 21, 2019

Like the preceding years, 2018 also saw the development of dangerous new ransomware strains. And it won’t be wrong to say that GandCrab ransomware might have won the race in inflicting the maximum amount of losses. A digital security company has analyzed the activity of GandCrab ransomware all through the year to come up with this assertion.

GandCrab operators have primarily focused on targeting large companies in the anticipation of big ransomware payouts. For instance, in one attack, the operators demanded extortion amount of whopping 0.7 million dollars to provide the ransomware removal key. The security firm has also reported that half of the reported victims resorted to ransom payment. According to the number of users affected by GandCrab ransomware, even the payment of least demanded ransom amount ($600) has made $300 million for its operators this year.

A solution for GandCrab Encryption is now Available

After months of malicious activity of GandCrab ransomware, Europol along with cybersecurity companies have come up with its ransomware removal decrypter. The solution is available for free. According to the numbers established by the Europol, GandCrab affected users have avoided paying nearly one million ransom amount because of its free decrypter.

Unreported Attacks are Not Taken into Account

There are always a large number of cyber attacks that go unreported. Many commercial entities don’t report such incidents because it can irreversibly damage their business reputation. The same can be said about the activity of GandCrab. The figure of $300 million only entails reported attacks. We still don’t know how all the unreported victims of GandCrab dealt with its encryption.

All things considered, the collective tangible losses caused by GandCrab can be way over half a billion dollar. Such immense monetary losses definitely make GandCrab one of the deadliest ransomware strains of the year 2018.