Crypt0 HT Ransomware

Posted: December 12, 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.

Ranking:	15,565
Threat Level:	2/10
Infected PCs:	775

First Seen:	August 23, 2022
Last Seen:	August 30, 2023
OS(es) Affected:	Windows

The Crypt0 HT Ransomware is a minor version of Hidden Tear, the file-locking Trojan. Along with blocking your files, this version of the threat also adds random extensions to their names, generates pop-up alerts, and asks you to pay money via a ransom-trafficking website. Withhold your money unless no other recovery options are possible, and use appropriate anti-malware programs for deleting the Crypt0 HT Ransomware and preventing it from locking any additional copies of your media.

The Ever-Changing Meaning of Names in Trojan Campaigns

It is never entirely safe to use the self-advertised labels of Trojans for determining what they are, and a particularly recent campaign from the Crypt0 HT Ransomware is adding additional confusion to potential infections. While the Crypt0 HT Ransomware uses the name of a 2016 member of the DetoxCrypto Ransomware group, it's a separate threat most closely deriving from Utku Sen's hijacked Hidden Tear project. Using inappropriate data recovery software to resolve the Crypt0 HT Ransomware infections only may worsen any issues by corrupting the files that this Trojan already encrypts.

The Crypt0 HT Ransomware is disguising itself as a non-threatening file to gain access to the victim's PC. Its payload uses a basic, but secure encryption protocol with AES or Rijndael to lock different types of media on an infected system. Once a file is encoded and no longer opens, the user can identify it from the random string of characters that the Crypt0 HT Ransomware appends to the ends of the name. Malware experts find no other signs of ongoing symptoms for this attack, at this time.

After concluding the above function, the Crypt0 HT Ransomware creates a simple, Windows pop-up that gives the user a six-day limit to pay a ransom, with details following in a dropped Web page. The latter provides a link to a TOR website, which is asking for no less than half a Bitcoin, or over eight thousand USD, for transferring over the individualized decryption code currently. Decryption through free methods, or recovering from a backup, always should be the user's default response since Bitcoin carries no protections against fraud.

Converting Banking Customers into Extortion Victims

Tactics for distributing the Crypt0 HT Ransomware, which is Windows-specific and targets English speakers, pretend that the Trojan's installer is some form of banking information. Traditionally, these delivery methods also surround themselves with supporting details, such as e-mail messages that are forged to look like alerts from a major bank. Security programs with accurate rates for detecting Hidden Tear also should block the Crypt0 HT Ransomware during these infection attempts.

Even though malware researchers have yet to determine the possibility of free decryption programs arriving for the Crypt0 HT Ransomware, other data restoration solutions are available for responsible PC users. Backing up your content to a location most likely of being secure, such as a portable drive or a cloud service, removes the risk of long-term data loss from most file-locking Trojans. Since encryption isn't an instant process, your active anti-malware protection also may delete the Crypt0 HT Ransomware at any point during or after the infection, as well.

The Crypt0 HT Ransomware's potentially confusing choice of name could lead to victims making the mistake of using an incompatible decryption tool to resolve the issue of any locked files. However, for individuals who are practicing better data-storing habits, the mere act of having a backup can neuter the Crypt0 HT Ransomware just like most forms of Hidden Tear.

Technical Details

Additional Information

The following URL's were detected:

gotbstgifts.click