C0hen Locker Ransomware

The C0hen Locker Ransomware is a file-locker Trojan that can block your PC's digital media through encrypting it. Unusable files are recognizable through the extension that the C0hen Locker Ransomware adds, which references its name. Prospective victims can protect their data with proper backup management and having anti-malware applications available for detecting and deleting the C0hen Locker Ransomware.

A Little Orphan Trojan Named Cohen

File-locker Trojans are a well-understood, and standardized phenomenon in the threat landscape, but not every Trojan under that description is a copy-and-paste job. The C0hen Locker Ransomware is an exceptional example for more than one reason, being neither an apparent edit of freeware like Hidden Tear nor an offspring of the Djvu Ransomware or equivalent families. However, what's certain is that its motives are no less financially-motivated than those of any Ransomware-as-a-Service.

As for its file-locking behavior, that aspect of the C0hen Locker Ransomware is the most-typical part of its payload. The Windows-based Trojan uses AES encryption – often favored for its time-efficiency – for locking media shapes, such as Word documents or JPG pictures. It also appends its name into filenames as extensions but doesn't erase the preexisting extension. In these respects, malware experts find the C0hen Locker Ransomware easily mistakable for any similar threat.

What makes the C0hen Locker Ransomware a little more of a stand-out is its means of offering a ransom to the victim. It generates a semi-unique pop-up that provides a diagram explaining the attack, as well as a decryption field that requires a password, and a Bitcoin wallet. The threat actor offers a Discord-based chatting option for negotiations but doesn't use e-mail, which is unusual for any file-locker Trojan extremely. The INPIVX Ransomware, an unrelated Trojan with a similar ransoming procedure, comes the closest to offering this live chatting alternative to e-mail messages.

The Generic Problems when Encountering an Individualistic Trojan

For all of its individuality, the C0hen Locker Ransomware's monetization includes all of the dangers of well-known families like Hidden Tear, the Scarab Ransomware or the Globe Ransomware. It specifies Bitcoin payments so that victims can't get refunds without the criminal's consent, and can offer no guarantees of successful decryption. The 0.15 BTC fee, while seemingly low, converts to over one thousand USD in value, which makes the ransom anything but cheap.

Furthermore, current builds of the C0hen Locker Ransomware also use a hard-coded key that could trigger the decryptor for file-unlocking purposes. Victims should try inputting the code '12309482354ab2308597u235fnq30045f' before making any rash decisions. Secure and updated backups also are an excellent option for recovery from non-consensual encryption, which is unbreakable generally.

The Trojan includes additional dangers for victims, such as disabling the Task Manager and deleting the Shadow Volume Copies (a commonplace, default Windows backup). Victims can use Safe Mode and similar bootup options for disabling the threat before having their preferred anti-malware product remove the C0hen Locker Ransomware safely.

The C0hen Locker Ransomware has a lot to offer from a new perspective, but its opinions are all poisonous. Users shouldn't pay too much credence to pop-up warnings and ransom demands, lest they find that they're following the advice of a bad-faith 'helper.'