New Ransomware Apocalypse Prompts Victim to Email Hacker for Instructions

June 14, 2016

apocalypse-ransomwareA new ransomware called Apocalypse was recently discovered by security researchers at Emsisoft. According to their findings, the ransomware encrypts data, appends the .encrypted extension to them and then requires the victim to email the hacker for ransom instructions. For example, if Apocalypse encrypts a file called ‘test.jpg’, a ‘test.jpg.encrypted’ file and ‘test.jpg.encrypted.How_to_Decrypt.txt’ file will be created.

The ransomware will also create an autorun entry that points to C:\Program Files (x86)\windowsupdate.exe so that the ransomware is started when a user logs into Windows. Once it runs, it will display a lock screen that says: If you are reading this message, all the files in this computer have been crypted!![sic] documents, pictures, video, audio, backups, etc. If you want to recover your data, contact the email below. Email decryptionservice@mail.ru. We will provide decryption software to recover your files. If you don’t contact before 72 hours, all data will be lost forever. Users can reboot into safe mode to bypass the lock screen and run the decryptor or use the free tools made available for affected users to get their files back.
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Posted in Cybercrime & Digital Threats, Ransomware, Cybercrime

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