Crypt.Locker Ransomware

Posted: December 8, 2016

Threat Metric

The Threat Meter is a malware assessment that SpywareRemove.com's research team is able to give every identifiable malware threat. Our Threat Meter includes several criteria based off of specific malware threats to value their severity, reach and volume. The Threat Meter is able to give you a numerical breakdown of each threat's initial Threat Level, Detection Count, Volume Count, Trend Path and Percentage Impact. The overall ranking of each threat in the Threat Meter is a basic breakdown of how all threats are ranked within our own extensive malware database. The scoring for each specific malware threat can be easily compared to other emerging threats to draw a contrast in its particular severity. The Threat Meter is a useful tool in the endeavor of seeking a solution to remove a threat or pursue additional analytical research for all types of computer users.

The following fields listed on the Threat Meter containing a specific value, are explained in detail below:

Threat Level: The threat level scale goes from 1 to 10 where 10 is the highest level of severity and 1 is the lowest level of severity. Each specific level is relative to the threat's consistent assessed behaviors collected from SpyHunter's risk assessment model.

Detection Count: The collective number of confirmed and suspected cases of a particular malware threat. The detection count is calculated from infected PCs retrieved from diagnostic and scan log reports generated by SpyHunter.

Volume Count: Similar to the detection count, the Volume Count is specifically based on the number of confirmed and suspected threats infecting systems on a daily basis. High volume counts usually represent a popular threat but may or may not have infected a large number of systems. High detection count threats could lay dormant and have a low volume count. Criteria for Volume Count is relative to a daily detection count.

Trend Path: The Trend Path, utilizing an up arrow, down arrow or equal symbol, represents the level of recent movement of a particular threat. Up arrows represent an increase, down arrows represent a decline and the equal symbol represent no change to a threat's recent movement.

% Impact (Last 7 Days): This demonstrates a 7-day period change in the frequency of a malware threat infecting PCs. The percentage impact correlates directly to the current Trend Path to determine a rise or decline in the percentage.

Threat Level:	8/10
Infected PCs:	33

First Seen:	December 8, 2016
Last Seen:	May 5, 2022
OS(es) Affected:	Windows

The Crypt.Locker Ransomware is an update of the Jigsaw Ransomware, a Trojan that can both encrypt your files to lock them and delete them. Like its predecessor, the Crypt.Locker Ransomware uses time-based mechanisms for its data-erasing attacks, and a prompt and cautious response for limiting its damage potential is critical. Removing the Crypt.Locker Ransomware should use dedicated anti-malware tools supported by standard security techniques as described in this article, regardless of the Trojan's warnings.

From Riches to Rags Story on Your Computer

Creating money out of nothing long has been the dream of both entrepreneurs and idealistic philosophers. Although the concept might evoke images of medieval alchemy, the modern version of it is fully alive, as one can witness in the Crypt.Locker Ransomware campaign. This new build of the JigSaw Ransomware installs itself through a corrupted file claiming that the product will generate cryptocurrency for its user. Instead, the Trojan takes it by attacking your computer and demanding Bitcoin payments to make it stop.

After gaining system access via its fake 'Electrum Coin Adder,' the Crypt.Locker Ransomware scans for files to encode with its AES cipher. Each locked piece of data also is given an '.epic' extension after any previous extension in their names. When it finishes, the Crypt.Locker Ransomware loads a ransom note in the format of a Web pop-up.

Malware analysts found most elements of this pop-up carried over from the original Jigsaw Ransomware, although the Crypt.Locker Ransomware uses an Anonymous-themed image instead of a Saw movie-themed one. Importantly, along with delivering its Bitcoin ransom demands, the Crypt.Locker Ransomware also continues threatening to delete files according to its built-in timer. The Trojan is set to delete one additional file every hour, although it also may delete more data after a reboot.

Taking an Anonymous Face Off Your Screen

The Crypt.Locker Ransomware represents a nightmare scenario for any casual PC user: a Trojan that claims that it' collected information, in addition to encrypting some content and deleting additional data repeatedly. Its extortionist demands also are unusually costly for a campaign that targets casual users, with rates of five thousand US dollars in Bitcoins not being unusual. Even paying this high sum offers no guarantee that the threat actors will decode your files or stop the deletion routine.

Victims should refrain from restarting their computers needlessly, which risks triggering one of the Crypt.Locker Ransomware's file-deleting subroutines. Any attempts at terminating the Crypt.Locker Ransomware should make sure of closing all memory processes associated with this threat's family, such as fake Firefox and Dropbox executables. Additional strategies, such as rebooting directly from an external device, also may be required for giving your anti-malware products an environment for removing the Crypt.Locker Ransomware safely.

Once the Crypt.Locker Ransomware is no longer open, any blocked files can be decrypted through third-party utilities designed for the Jigsaw Ransomware family, or restored by a backup.

Humanity's proclivity towards greed is one that can harm those who indulge in it just as much as anyone around them. Attacks like the Crypt.Locker Ransomware's campaign are sharp reminders that trying to make something out of nothing still has a cost that you may not see until later.

Crypt.Locker Ransomware

Threat Metric

From Riches to Rags Story on Your Computer

Taking an Anonymous Face Off Your Screen

Leave a Reply