Exorcist Ransomware

The Exorcist Ransomware is a file-locking Trojan of an unidentified family. The Exorcist Ransomware can lock the user's media and other files through encrypting it and demands a ransom through a hijacked desktop wallpaper and a separate note. Users should recover their work through any secure backups and remove the Exorcist Ransomware through applying a compatible anti-malware solution.

Calling in the Wrong Exorcist

File-locking Trojans are a long-streamlined concept of threatening software, with most of their symptoms, attacks, and business habits falling within the stated guidelines of preexisting programs. Into this well-defined section of the Black Hat software industry, the Exorcist Ransomware's campaign arrives as one that takes the usual path to make money by extorting it after attacking the target's files. However, among other details, it's family and language choices are mysteries worth exploring.

The Exorcist Ransomware is a Windows program, like many file-locker Trojans both inside and outside Ransomware-as-a-Service structures. The Exorcist Ransomwareleverages a non-consensual form of encryption that blocks files from opening and can attack any format the threat actor defines, such as Word documents, JPG pictures, or even programs' components like executables and DLLs. The Trojan also appends an extension onto their names after blocking them, although the string is random (such as 'rnyZoV').

The ransom note that the Exorcist Ransomware creates, an advanced HTML or HTA, also references the random string, and uses each variant as the name for individual campaigns presumably. Although the Exorcist Ransomware's overall format for demanding a ransom for its unlocker is similar to cases like the Dharma Ransomware, et al., the Trojan's wording is unique. Any victims should remember the natural dangers of paying such ransoms, and that non-government-backed cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin have little or no refund protection for their transactions.

Exorcising a Real Demon of a Program

The Exorcist Ransomware infections will alert users to the attacks afterward and include a highly-visible change to the desktop's background. However, at that time, the digital media is under encryption and requires recovery, either premium or free. Since the Exorcist Ransomware's campaign has no funds as of late July, any profit from its attacks remains the subject of theoretical, future scenarios that all Windows users can prevent with responsible backup habits.

Administrators should avoid vulnerabilities like using non-secure passwords or out-of-date software, which can provoke attacks of opportunity by threat actors leveraging Trojans of this category. Malware experts recommend disabling JavaScript, Flash, and Java while browsing potentially-unsafe sites, interacting with any e-mails carefully, and avoiding illegal downloads. Some families of file-locking Trojans prefer targeted e-mail attacks, while others will use brute-forcing or torrents semi-randomly.

Anti-malware programs compatible with modern versions of Windows should stop this threat and delete the Exorcist Ransomware without any significant risk to any local files.

The Exorcist Ransomware's payload has some unprofessional aspects, but a lazily-done attack is just as deadly as a polished one, for poorly-protected media. Those taking their eyes off of Trojans' habits out in the wild might find one in their hard drive 'home,' thanks to independents like the Exorcist Ransomware.