New Locky Variant 'IKARUSdilapidated' Strikes Again

A second wave of the Locky ransomware variant called IKARUSdilapidated has been identified by security experts. The source of the ransomware is a botnet of zombie computers coordinated to launch phishing attacks that send emails and attachments appearing to come from a targeted recipient’s truste...

Locky ransomware returns to the game with two new flavors

We recently observed a fresh malicious spam campaign pushed through the Necurs botnet distributing so far, two new variants of Locky ransomware. In our last Q2 2017 report on tactics and techniques, we mentioned that Locky ransomware had reappeared with a new extension, but went dark again for...

Locky Ransomware Variant Slips Past Some Defenses

A variant of the notorious Locky ransomware is part of a large scale email-based campaign managing to slip past the defenses of some unsuspecting companies. Beginning on Aug. 9, and lasting three days, ransomware called IKARUSdilapidated landed in tens of thousands of inboxes with email that...

Warning: Two Dangerous Ransomware Are Back – Protect Your Computers

Ransomware has been around for a few years but has become an albatross around everyone's neck—from big businesses and financial institutions to hospitals and individuals worldwide—with cyber criminals making millions of dollars. In just past few months, we saw a scary strain of ransomware attacks...

Week in Security (August 7 – August 13)

Last week, we explained how security certificates work and how malware authors have used them to block security software from being downloaded and executed. We also showed how the Magnitude exploit kit is spreading a Cerber ransomware variant that uses binary padding in an attempt to get skipped,...

Google StuGoogle Study Quantifies Ransomware Profitsdy Quantifies Ransomware Revenue

LAS VEGAS—Over the past two years, 35 unique ransomware strains earned cybercriminals $25 million, with Locky and its many variants being the most profitable. The data comes from a study debuted Wednesday at Black Hat by Google, Chainalysis, UC San Diego, and the NYU Tandom School of Engineering...

Report: Second quarter dominated by ransomware outbreaks

The second quarter of 2017 brought ransomware to unprecedented levels with worldwide outbreaks that went almost out of control. In scenarios reminiscent of yesteryears worms, WannaCry created global panic as it used a critical vulnerability in the SMBv1 protocol to propagate like wildfire. Within...

Player 1 Limps Back Into the Ring - Hello again, Locky!

This post was authored by Alex Chiu, Warren Mercer, and Jaeson Schultz. Sean Baird and Matthew Molyett contributed to this post.Back in May, the Necurs spam botnet jettisoned Locky ransomware in favor of the new Jaff ransomware variant. However, earlier this month Kaspersky discovered a...

PDF File Containing Ransomware Downloader

A malicious PDF file containing a downloader was observed as part of Locky ransomware campaign. A remote attacker could send spam e-mails including those PDF files and convince users to open embedded links in them. This would allow the malicious code to run and infect the target system...

Dridex and Locky Return Via PDF Attachments in Latest Campaigns

Dridex and Locky, two prolific malware families that made waves in 2016 after being distributed in several high-volume spam campaigns, have returned after a brief hiatus. FireEye observed a decline in the volume of Dridex and Locky in the latter half of 2016, but we recently observed two new larg...

Dridex and Locky Return Via PDF Attachments in Latest Campaigns

Dridex and Locky, two prolific malware families that made waves in 2016 after being distributed in several high-volume spam campaigns, have returned after a brief hiatus. FireEye observed a decline in the volume of Dridex and Locky in the latter half of 2016, but we recently observed two new larg...

Dridex and Locky Return Via PDF Attachments in Latest Campaigns

Dridex and Locky, two prolific malware families that made waves in 2016 after being distributed in several high-volume spam campaigns, have returned after a brief hiatus. FireEye observed a decline in the volume of Dridex and Locky in the latter half of 2016, but we recently observed two new larg...

Locky Ransomware Roars Back to Life Via Necurs Botnet

Cybercriminals behind the Locky ransomware and Necurs botnet are back in business. Last Friday researchers spotted both delivering nearly 35,000 emails in just a few hours, the first major Locky campaign researchers have seen in months, according to Cisco Talos. Researchers warn the latest Locky...

Locky, Cerber Ransomware Skilled at Avoiding Detection

The latest versions of Cerber and Locky ransomware have been, since mid-January, finding great success in bypassing existing security detection systems through the use of a common infrastructure that allows the malicious code to bury itself inside NSIS installers, and use several layers of...

Locky Ransomware, Kovter Click-Fraud Malware Spreading in Same Campaigns

Researchers at Microsoft’s Malware Protection Center have spotted malicious email campaigns using .lnk attachments to spread Locky ransomware and the Kovter click-fraud Trojan, the first time criminals have simultaneously distributed both pieces of malware. According to Microsoft, the .lnk file n...

Improved scripts in .lnk files now deliver Kovter in addition to Locky

Cybercriminals are using a combination of improved script and well-maintained download sites to attempt installing Locky and Kovter on more computers. A few months ago, we reported an email campaign distributing .lnk files with a malicious script that delivered Locky ransomware. Opening the...

Necurs Botnet Limps Back into Action After Lull

Researchers say Locky spam volumes are limping back into action with two new and tiny campaigns that could reveal telltale signs of a future full-scale attack. Cisco Talos said since late December, Necurs botnet activity has been silent. So too have campaigns tied to Locky ransomware; chiefly...

Four New Normals for 2017

Let’s not talk about cybersecurity predictions for 2017. Let’s talk instead about new normals, things that have ceased to be novel because, well, they happen all the time and everywhere. Let’s concede that things such as greedy ransomware, imposing IOT botnets, high-profile bug bounties and...

New Wave of Hailstorm Spam Pelts Inboxes

Spammers are turning to an old technique known as hailstorm to slip past anti-spam and anti-malware filters. Researchers say that hailstorm spam, first spotted in 2008, has been improved and is once again being used, only this time to spread Dridex banking malware and Locky ransomware. “Hailstorm...

Beware! Malicious JPG Images on Facebook Messenger Spreading Locky Ransomware

If you receive an image file sent by someone, even your friend, on your Facebook Messenger, LinkedIn or any other social media platform, just DO NOT CLICK ON IT. Even JPG image file could eventually infect your computer with the infamous Locky Ransomware. Earlier this week, we reported a new atta...