Allcry Ransomware

Posted: October 2, 2017

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:	10/10
Infected PCs:	9

First Seen:	October 2, 2017
Last Seen:	January 9, 2019
OS(es) Affected:	Windows

The Allcry Ransomware is a Trojan that may block your files with encryption, modify their extensions, and use various methods for displaying extortion-related instructions. Victims should withhold from following the recommendations for paying to unlock their data, except as a last resort. Anti-malware tools may delete the Allcry Ransomware from your computer safely, and both free decryption utilities and backups can help you restore any locked media.

WannaCry Clones Visiting the East

Over the past few months, both authentic variants of the '.wcry File Extension' Ransomware and superficial imitations of it are making headway in targeting victims with campaigns for capturing data to exchange for cryptocurrencies. Most of these target the first world, such as various countries throughout Europe or North America, but this specialization is a general trend, not a firm rule. The Allcry Ransomware is the latest known example of a Trojan to choose other targets with ransom-delivering features covering both China and South Korea.

Although malware analysts determine that the Allcry Ransomware is an imitation of the previously-mentioned Trojan's family, its in-progress payload does show many of the symptoms and attack characteristics of a real, file-locking program. Shortly after opening, the Allcry Ransomware tries to encrypt media that can include BMP or JPG pictures, DOC or RTF documents, MP3 audio, and similar, recreational or workplace content. Unlike most of its competing threats, the Allcry Ransomware also can include BAT and SYS files, which may lead it to damage the Windows operating system. Each piece of potentially encoded content also acquires an expanded extension with an additional '.allcry' string.

The Allcry Ransomware resets the user's default background to a ransom-themed image and also creates a text message providing instructions on paying Bitcoins for decoding your files. Since the Trojan is a still-in-work project, it requires the victim to open another executable for generating its pop-up window manually, which includes more instructions and ransom-related information. Although the Allcry Ransomware does include English support, its author also provides full alternatives for Chinese and Korean speakers.

Quieting the Crying Over Data Encryption

The Allcry Ransomware has yet to be finished for public release and may use infection vectors that malware analysts can't predict necessarily. Despite narrowing its payload's specialization to one, general region of the world, PC users should remain aware that the Allcry Ransomware may block files without any dependency on particular language settings. Email attachments, brute-force attacks against business networks, and, to a lesser extent, drive-by-downloads and even torrents are potential distributors of all file-blocking Trojans.

Saving backups to another device routinely will give users ways of recovering data without needing to break the Allcry Ransomware's encryption algorithm, which malware analysts have yet to examine for possible decoding. Due to the Trojan blocking content before showing the symptoms of its attacks, preventative security protocols are the best defenses for most PC users. Have your anti-malware products detecting and removing the Allcry Ransomware, when possible, for preventing any further data loss.

For now, the Allcry Ransomware is a recently-detected, mid-developed Trojan that only a minority of anti-malware products are identifying. No matter whether you're living in Seoul or Beijing, the fundamental dangers of not backing up your workplace and files are a helping hand to any threat actors who might attack you.

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:

file.exe

File name: file.exe
Size: 482.05 KB (482056 bytes)
MD5: db8c7db3d873890d8ea2de2c9ba815e3
Detection count: 5
File type: Executable File
Mime Type: unknown/exe
Group: Malware file
Last Updated: October 3, 2017