Alphabet Ransomware

Posted: January 3, 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:	36

First Seen:	January 3, 2017
OS(es) Affected:	Windows

The Alphabet Ransomware is a piece of threat that may still be in development since malware researchers identified entirely different variants of the threat. Both behave in a similar fashion, but the newer version also includes an encryption algorithm that locks the victim's files and then demands a ransom payment in exchange for the decryption instructions. The other variant that was discovered just hours before the release of the crypto-threat only works as a screen locker and even provides the victim with the unlock code. The screen locker variant of the Alphabet Ransomware also includes a line that tells the victims that they have been infected by the 'debug version,' and they can find their unlock code below. Surprisingly, the author of the Alphabet Ransomware appears to be a bit more advanced in the field, since his threat uses a randomly generated unlock code, unlike recently discovered screen lockers whose unlock codes were hardcoded in the program.

Despite carrying out entirely different attacks, both variants of the Alphabet Ransomware infiltrated the system by displaying a fake Windows Update screen that victims could mistake for a legitimate one easily. Once the fake update is finished, users are greeted by a new screen, which contains the ransom message. There's a slight difference between the lock screen used by the first and second variants of the Alphabet Ransomware. The first one uses a red background, while the crypto-threat variant of the Alphabet Ransomware relies on a green background.

The A B C Of Dealing with the Alphabet Ransomware

The crypto-threat variant of the Alphabet Ransomware demands a ransom fee of 1 Bitcoin that must be sent to the Bitcoin wallet address specified in the message. The author also gives a very short deadline for the ransom fee to be paid – only 5 hours. Usually, ransomware operators give their victims 24 or more hours to complete the transaction, but the Alphabet Ransomware's message clearly states that failing to pay the ransom fee in the next 5 hours will result in the permanent deletion of the private decryption key. The author was also 'friendly enough' to leave the victim the exact time their files were encrypted so that they'll know how much time they have left to pay the ransom fee. It is understandable to be annoyed if your files were modified by the Alphabet Ransomware, but don't forget that paying the ransom fee is not the correct thing to do. The author of the Alphabet Ransomware has not left any contact details or other information, so even if you pay the ransom fee, there's no way for them to provide you with the decryption key. It is very likely that the Alphabet Ransomware is a tactic that aims not just to damage the files, but also take money from its victims. Any victims of the Alphabet Ransomware reading this post should use an anti-malware tool to remove the infected files from their computers. Then, they should backup the encrypted files in case a free decryptor becomes available. It also may be a good idea to try 3rd-party file recovery utilities that are recommended when it comes to recuperating from a ransomware attack frequently.

Alphabet Ransomware

Threat Metric

The A B C Of Dealing with the Alphabet Ransomware

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