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Green_Ray Ransomware

Posted: May 30, 2016

Threat Metric

Threat Level: 10/10
Infected PCs: 180
First Seen: May 31, 2016
OS(es) Affected: Windows

The Green_Ray Ransomware is a file encrypting Trojan that extorts money by holding your local data for ransom. Symptoms common to the Green_Ray Ransomware and similar threats include automatic changes to file names, a hijacked desktop background, and the appearance of text-based ransom notes. Malware experts recommend using backups to protect yourself from these attacks inexpensively, and anti-malware applications for removing the Green_Ray Ransomware or threat responsible for delivering it to your PC.

The File-Eating Ray Swimming Your Way

A threat doesn't need to be wildly different from its predecessors necessarily to achieve similar financial goals or be successful at causing meaning harm to an infected machine. The lack of a need for originality is especially trending in the file encrypting sub-category of Trojans, where these threats use many of the same data encoding techniques without changing much else other than which entity processes their ransom payments. However, even these minor changes can be effective at temporarily halting some security solutions, as malware experts see with the Green_Ray Ransomware.

Like many Trojans of the recent past, such as the JohnyCryptor Ransomware or the 'Av666@weekendwarrior55' Ransomware, the Green_Ray Ransomware displays most of the characteristics of the Rakhni family. The Green_Ray Ransomware inserts its e-mail address into the names of the files it attacks and delivers both TXT and desktop image-based ransom notes. However, these features are trivial issues compared to the encryption function.

The Green_Ray Ransomware encrypts content such as DOC, JPG, HTML, or MP4-based data using an unidentified algorithm. A private decryption key is generated for reversing the encryption process and restoring the files back to functionality. However, the Green_Ray Ransomware's instructions direct the victim to an e-mail address where con artists will demand a ransom (often in Bitcoins) before providing the key or any decryption service.

Wiping out the Color of a Ransomware Attack

Although it's simple to identify the Green_Ray Ransomware's payload, undoing the attack requires tools beyond the scope of any traditional anti-malware software. PC security researchers often distribute such decryptor apps freely, although the Green_Ray Ransomware has yet to receive such attention. If it's practical, you may wish to provide interested security teams with samples of both the Green_Ray Ransomware and any encrypted files, to assist with the decryptor development process.

You can prevent the majority of attacks based on file encryptors from harming your data by the simple expedient of keeping backups. Unattached storage drives and, in most situations, cloud servers are durable solutions that allow you to replace any encrypted file and not pay the Green_Ray Ransomware's fee. Local backups (such as your Windows Shadow Volume Copies) usually are deleted, although some Trojans may overlook their presence.

Malware experts also would suggest watching the most common infection vectors for this type of threat. These Trojan-installing exploits consist of e-mail spam that follows templates customized for attacking business entities predominantly. An example of a typical attack could be a fake, failed delivery notification, with an attachment carrying the Trojan dropper that installs the Green_Ray Ransomware.

Protecting the contents of your hard drive is only secondary to protecting the overall system from threats like the Green_Ray Ransomware. Although this threat cautions that taking any typical security countermeasures could result in deleted data, malware experts still urge you to remove the Green_Ray Ransomware, ideally by running the right anti-malware software while in Safe Mode. Very few file encrypting Trojans will delete their hostage files, and those seen including such a feature usually will launch the attack automatically.

Technical Details

File System Modifications

Tutorials: If you wish to learn how to remove malware components manually, you can read the tutorials on how to find malware, kill unwanted processes, remove malicious DLLs and delete other harmful files. Always be sure to back up your PC before making any changes.

The following files were created in the system:



%SystemDrive%\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\Payload_c.exe File name: Payload_c.exe
Size: 265 KB (265007 bytes)
MD5: 2245551ce293e2c6967786b91710a52b
Detection count: 105
File type: Executable File
Mime Type: unknown/exe
Path: %SystemDrive%\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
Group: Malware file
Last Updated: August 24, 2016
%SystemDrive%\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Payload(100).exe File name: Payload(100).exe
Size: 221.48 KB (221488 bytes)
MD5: df7a135cf879b755eafff7cb12cf5f36
Detection count: 37
File type: Executable File
Mime Type: unknown/exe
Path: %SystemDrive%\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming
Group: Malware file
Last Updated: August 24, 2016
%SystemDrive%\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Payload00.exe File name: Payload00.exe
Size: 321.3 KB (321301 bytes)
MD5: c4f355599f71d98f49a377c5fec2d909
Detection count: 37
File type: Executable File
Mime Type: unknown/exe
Path: %SystemDrive%\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming
Group: Malware file
Last Updated: August 30, 2016
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