GandCrab Ransomware Continues to Cause Huge Problems

Cyber Attack, Cyber Security, GrandCrab, Hacking, RaaS, Ransomware, Ransomware-as-a-Service, Security, Security Threats, , ,
13
Nov 2018

Defeating a particular strand of ransomware doesn’t mean it’s dead and buried; you only have to take a look at GandCrab to see how it can evolve.

GandCrab first emerged online at the start of 2018 and began to spread rapidly across the globe. Known as a Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) attack, GandCrab has been able to continue causing chaos thanks to its code receiving regular updates. Now, as ransomware is such a pressing concern at the best of times, the realization that it can rapidly evolve is very troubling for anyone who heads online.

Due to the economic impact, not to mention the effect on productivity, that ransomware can cause to organizations, we’re going to take a close look at GandCrab to understand how and why it has evolved.

What is RaaS?

GandCrab is classed as a RaaS, but what exactly does this mean? Well, RaaS is built upon an attack where ransomware is written by cyber-criminals and then sold on to attackers who may not have the technical knowledge to write their own ransomware. Sometimes, however, the attackers may be perfectly capable of writing their own ransomware, but they don’t have the time and are just looking for a quick buck instead. Nonetheless, RaaS is highly popular due to the ease with which it can be deployed and the ready availability of the code. And this is exactly how GandCrab has been operating since the start of the year.

How Does GandCrab Operate?

Rather than concentrating on just one deployment method, GandCrab is particularly virulent thanks to its multifaceted approach which includes spam emails, exploit kits and malvertising. Once executed, GandCrab begins compiling information on the victim’s PC and scans for file extensions that it’s capable of encrypting. Early versions of GandCrab would encrypt files with a .CRAB extension, but the latest versions have begun encrypting files with 5 digit extensions that are randomly generated. GandCrab is also different to most other ransomware as it demands its ransom in Dash, a cryptocurrency which launched in 2015, rather than Bitcoin.

The Evolution of GandCrab

In total, there have been five versions of GandCrab released since its initial detection. Being a RaaS, the writers of GandCrab are keen to keep the money flowing in and this has fuelled their determination to update their product. Those who were infected by versions 1.0 and 1.1 were in luck early on as BitDefender managed to code a decryptor to retrieve files which had been compromised. However, this setback only served to inspire the hackers behind GandCrab to update the code significantly in GandCrab 2.0. Since then, less significant, but regular updates have allowed GandCrab to stay ahead of the security experts and keep their product bringing in its illicit income.

Can GandCrab be Defeated?

Despite the strength of GandCrab’s defenses, it appears that the security experts may be getting closer. Recent developments have seen BitDefender refining their decryptor software to unlock files encrypted by GandCrab versions 1, 4 and 5. Unfortunately, progress on decrypting files encrypted by versions 2 and 3 has been much slower and these files remain encrypted unless the victims are willing to pay the ransom. Ultimately, the best way for your organization to protect its data from the threat of ransomware such as GandCrab is by practicing best security practices and not having to decrypt any files whatsoever.

For more ways to secure and optimize your business technology, contact your local IT professionals.

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Scottish Brewery Hit by the Dharma Ransomware

Dharma, email security, Phishing, Phishing Email, Ransomware, Security, , , ,
23
Oct 2018

Ransomware continues to cause chaos for organizations with the latest story to hit the news concerning a Scottish brewery infected by the Dharma ransomware.

While it has been reported that ransomware attacks have fallen by 30% in the last 12 months, the fact remains that they’re still capable of causing significant disruption. In the case of the Arran Brewery on the Isle of Arran, Scotland, the organization had to accept that they would lose around three months’ worth of sales data due to the effects of the attack. This, of course, is the last thing that any business wants and acts as a fine reminder that we need to be on guard against ransomware.

To help provide a little background and demonstrate how the attack unfolded, we’re going to take a closer look at what happened.

Attacking the Brewery

What’s most interesting about the attack on the Arran Brewery is that it would appear the attackers deliberately targeted the brewery. Instead of a scattershot approach which targeted multiple organizations, the hackers focus was clearly on the Arran Brewery. Just before the attack, multiple adverts for a job at the Arran Brewery (which had already been filled) appeared on recruitment sites all over the globe. Naturally, the brewery received a sharp increase in the number of CVs being emailed in but, unfortunately, one of the emails contained a malicious payload.

The payload was contained with a PDF attachment which, when opened, initiated the attack and infected the entire network. Following the encryption of the Arran Brewery’s files, a ransom demand was issued which advised that the encryption keys would only be released in exchange for 2 bitcoin (roughly $14,000). Thankfully, an IT consultant was able to retrieve a significant amount of the encrypted data from backups and rid the system of the infection. However, certain files couldn’t be restored and, due to it not being economically viable to pay the ransom, the Arran Brewery decided to write off three months’ worth of sales data.

What is Dharma?

Dharma is a strain of ransomware which was first released in 2016 and has regularly been updated ever since due to the emergence of Dharma decryptors. In September 2018, for example, three new variants emerged which are resistant to previous decryptors. When files are encrypted by Dharma they will automatically append a new file extension onto the existing file and these extensions can include:

  • .dharma
  • .cesar
  • .onion
  • .wallet
  • .zzzzz

Final Thoughts

If anything acts as a reminder that organizations need to be vigilant against ransomware then it’s a current and contemporary threat. Dharma could easily hit your organization next, so you need to ask yourself whether you can afford to lose three months’ worth of data. I’ll let you into a little secret: no one wants to lose three months’ worth of data. Therefore, it’s crucial that you reiterate the importance of email security to your employees in order to maintain access to all your data at all times.

For more ways to secure and optimize your business technology, contact your local IT professionals.

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High Profile Organizations that Have Been Phished

Cyber Attack, Hacking, malware, Phishing, Phishing Email, Ransomware, Security, Security Threats, , , , , ,
02
Oct 2018

Phishing is now so prevalent and sophisticated that even the biggest organizations on the planet are likely to be duped by phishing scams.

Immunity from such attacks is a difficult privilege to secure, so any organization that wants to remain productive needs to understand the threats out there. While you would expect most phishing attacks to target smaller, less secure organizations, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Instead, many hackers are taking on high profile organizations due to the challenge on offer and the publicity that such attacks bring.

Understanding how these businesses have been phished is crucial as it helps you to understand exactly why you need good security. To provide you with a foundation of knowledge, we’re going to look at some high profile organizations that have been phished.

Facebook and Google

Two of the biggest names in business on the planet, Facebook and Google found themselves at the center of the same phishing scam a couple of years ago.

Evaldas Rimasauskas, from Lithuania, used a simple phishing campaign whereby he posed as the head of a Taiwanese parts manufacturer called Quanta. Key to this scam was that Facebook and Google both used the genuine Quanta company to conduct business with. Through a combination of compromised emails, forged invoices and a lack of suspicion on the two tech giants’ behalf, around $100 million was paid out to Rimasauskas between 2013 – 2015.

Anthem

Anthem is one of the largest health insurance companies in the US and, as you can imagine, they hold a substantial amount of private and confidential data. However, in 2014 they lost nearly 78.8 million consumer records due to a phishing attack.

It’s believed that a foreign government was behind the attack, but the method employed was still ridiculously straightforward. An employee at an Anthem subsidiary opened a phishing email which allowed malicious content to be downloaded to the employee’s PC. Once these files were executed, hackers were able to take control of the PC by remote access and start making their way deep into the Anthem network. One of the sections that were of most interest was Anthem’s data warehouse where the hackers had access to customers’ medical histories, social security numbers and address details.

Snapchat

The popular social media app Snapchat found one of its employees being targeted by a spear phishing scam in 2016 which compromised confidential data.

A seemingly innocuous email was sent to Snapchat’s payroll department in February 2016 which claimed to have been written by the company’s CEO. The email requested that employee payroll information was forwarded on for internal reference. Unfortunately, one of the payroll employees did not realize this was a less than genuine request. A significant amount of personal information about former and current employees was then emailed to an external party. Due to the nature of the data obtained, hackers then had the potential to use it to engineer identity theft.

RSA Security

Even IT security companies aren’t safe from the threat of phishing emails as RSA security discovered back in 2011.

Hackers designed two separate emails which were sent to four employees at RSA’s parent company EMC. The emails, which appeared to be from a recruitment website, contained an attachment referred to as ‘2011 Recruitment plan.xls” in the email’s subject line. However, this was a malicious attachment and, upon clicking it, a zero-day vulnerability in Adobe Flash would be exploited and lead to the download of a backdoor virus onto the user’s PC. The hackers were then able to access RSA’s network where they had access to 44 million employee records.

For more ways to secure and optimize your business technology, contact your local IT professionals.

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4 Ways to Tell If You’re Being Phished

Cyber Attack, Hacking, malware, Password Security, Phishing, Phishing Email, Ransomware, Security, Security Threats, , , , ,
25
Sep 2018

Phishing is big business for hackers and you can rest assured that it’s a niche they’re keen to exploit, but how do you know when you’re being phished?

Kaspersky Lab reported around 246 million phishing attempts being executed in 2017, so it’s fairly clear that phishing is taking place on a monumental scale. And, to provide a little perspective, those 246 million phishing attempts are only the ones that were picked up by Kaspersky’s software. If you factor in all the other security providers’ data then you’re left with a staggering amount.

Phishing, therefore, is something that you’re likely to encounter and, the truth is, your organization is likely to receive a significant number of phishing emails every day. Thankfully, protecting your business from the dangers of phishing emails is relatively easy. And, to help boost your defenses, we’re going to show you four ways to tell if you’re being phished.

1.  Analyze the Email Address

While it’s straightforward to mask an email address with a false one, many hackers simply don’t bother. And that’s why you’re likely to find that most phishing emails are sent from unusual email addresses. Say, for example, you receive an email from your bank asking you to provide sensitive information regarding your account, it’s not going to come from a Hotmail address, is it? However, many people fail to check the sender’s email address and, instead, become distracted by the seemingly genuine contents.

2.  How’s the Grammar?

A tell-tale sign of a phishing email is poor grammar and even worse spelling. Hackers, after all, aren’t too bothered about honing their command of the written word. All they want to do is hack and hack big. Accordingly, their emails will fail to contain the type of language you would expect to receive from a work colleague or another organization. So, remember: if they can’t spell your name in their opening introduction then you should be highly suspicious.

3.  Did You Ask For Those Attachments?

Hackers love to catch their victims out with attachments that contain a nasty payload, so any attachments should always be treated with caution. Sometimes these attachments can be easily identified as malicious, but it’s not always simple. First of all, ask yourself whether the attachment is relevant to your job. If you work in the service department and you’ve been sent a spreadsheet relating to company finances then there’s no need for you to open it. Secondly, keep an eye out for file extensions you don’t recognize as opening these could easily lead to executing malware.

4.  Deceptive Links

One of the main objectives of a phishing email is to take the recipient away from the security of their PC and onto dangerous websites which are riddled with malware. And the best way they can do this is through the use of a deceptive link. While a link may look genuine on the surface, it can easily direct you somewhere else altogether. The best way to verify a link’s true destination is by hovering your mouse cursor over the link to reveal the true URL address.

For more ways to secure and optimize your business technology, contact your local IT professionals.

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How Did the DNC Get Hacked by Phishing Emails in 2016?

Cyber Attack, email links, Hacking, malware, Password Security, Phishing, Phishing Email, Security, , ,
18
Sep 2018

You may think that political parties understand the need for good security, but back in 2016 the DNC suffered a major hack due to phishing emails.

Thanks to a sustained attack, Russian hackers were able to infiltrate email accounts of those involved within Hilary Clinton’s campaign to become president of the United States. And, as you know, the rest is history. However, not many people are aware of exactly how the DNC got hacked so extensively that highly sensitive information was obtained and then leaked to the public.

Although not every single detail has been revealed, we know enough that the hack was, in relative terms, a fairly simple execution. Naturally, you’re unlikely to be targeted by the same people who are involved in political attacks, but their methods are likely to be similar. Therefore, we’re going to take a look at how the DNC was hacked by phishing emails, so you can understand how to avoid it.

Phishing for DNC Secrets

The hack began on March 10th, 2016 and involved a batch of heavily disguised emails, which appeared to be sent by Google, being sent to key members of Hilary Clinton’s campaign team. These emails purported to be advising the recipients that their passwords needed changing in order to strengthen their security. However, the links contained within these emails sent users to a malicious website where strengthening security was the last thing on their mind. With these email accounts compromised, the hackers were then able to access private contact lists held within them.

Within a day, the hackers had access to confidential email addresses for key targets within the DNC campaign. And, almost immediately, the hackers began to send phishing emails to these email addresses in order to work their way higher up the chain of command. Despite the presence of two-factor authentication, the hackers’ persistence paid off as they eventually managed to breach the defenses of John Podesta, chairman of the DNC’s campaign. This email account, alone, provided access to 50,000 confidential emails.

This assault is believed to have been organized and orchestrated by the Russian cyber-espionage organization known as Fancy Bear. Despite accessing such a huge amount of emails from Podestra, Fancy Bear intensified their hacking campaign and this led to security experts becoming suspicious of methods being employed to dupe Google’s spam filter into accepting malicious emails into the inboxes of DNC targets. The clean-up operation, however, was too late and Podestra’s breached emails were soon published on Wikileaks.

Be Clever, Don’t Get Phished

The 2016 attack on the DNC is probably the most famous, and damaging, phishing attack in cyber-history. Simply due to a few members of staff clicking malicious links, an entire election campaign was brought to its knees. Reinforcing good email security, therefore, remains a crucial practice for any organization in modern business. Even with millions of dollars of security in place, the DNC fell victim to a simple phishing scam and, next time, it could easily be your organization.

For more ways to secure and optimize your business technology, contact your local IT professionals.

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