FenixLocker Ransomware

Posted: September 19, 2016

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:	September 19, 2016
Last Seen:	July 23, 2019
OS(es) Affected:	Windows

The FenixLocker Ransomware, also identifiable as the Centrumfr@india.com Ransomware, is a Trojan that modifies your files with a cipher, adds a new extension to them, and creates a Notepad TXT-based ransom message. These decryption methods often are unreliable, and the PC security sector does provide free solutions for data recovery from threats like the FenixLocker Ransomware, when possible. Besides recovering your content, you should delete the FenixLocker Ransomware with anti-malware software to prevent it from encrypting any other information immediately.

A Little Love in a File-Ransoming Campaign

The different means by which threat actors personalize their threatening software can provide various, colorful ways of differentiating between Trojans, but these personal touches often make no difference to the victims. The FenixLocker Ransomware, or the Centrumfr@india.com Ransomware, offers a very traditional (for 2016) file encrypting attack campaign but accompanies it with some minor changes from the norm that help it stand out from the usual clones of the Crysis Ransomware or Hidden Tear derivatives. Malware experts could first confirm this Trojan's existence in mid-September.

The FenixLocker Ransomware uses an AES encryption standard to encipher your files, stopping other programs from being able to read them. The attack also includes a signifier custom to this Trojan: the '.centrumfr@india.com!!' extension, which it inserts after any already-included extension in each file name. Although no symptoms accompany this data encrypting routine to alert the PC user, the FenixLocker Ransomware does create a high-visibility text message after the fact.

The FenixLocker Ransomware's message asks for the victim to communicate through the centrumfr@india.com address for help on decrypting them, with no further details on the assumed ransom fee or any time limits. The same instructions also provide a custom infection key (which any victims should note is separate from the decryption key you require for restoring any ciphered content).

Like other Trojans of a lesser pedigree, the FenixLocker Ransomware also attempts to imply that it has connections to CryptoLocker, but malware experts find no such associations in its internal data. However, its code does include the string 'FenixIloveyou!!' as a particularly personalized end-of-file marker.

Sending a Phoenix Lover Burning Down for Good

The etymology of 'fenix' ties into the well-known, immortal phoenix of the Middle Eastern mythology, although the FenixLocker Ransomware is unlikely to achieve similar longevity in the threat industry. Despite this Trojan's relative newness, malware experts can confirm that its encryption method is easily decoded, in contrast to other Trojans, such as most variants of the Crysis Ransomware. Contact relevant members of the PC security sector for assistance in restoring the FenixLocker Ransomware-encrypted content without paying a ransom.

Most of the FenixLocker Ransomware's symptoms trigger only after the attack finishes and the damage to your local content has been incurred. Appropriately careful use of downloading resources and anti-malware tools can block many of the infection methods threats like the FenixLocker Ransomware use, such as misrepresented e-mail files. PC operators should be prepared to face potential attacks crafted for their organizations and businesses, with misleading text messages spearheading attempts to compromise data-heavy servers.

The FenixLocker Ransomware bears signs of being crafted with 'love' and personal flourishes, but fewer signs of being professionally-coded software with critical security and anonymity features. Stick to standards of safe Web-browsing behavior and use your anti-malware tools for removing the FenixLocker Ransomware as soon as it's detected, and its 'immortal' campaign hopefully will end almost as soon as it starts.

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: 400.89 KB (400896 bytes)
MD5: de1c76810f1b55a169bedd84033816ff
Detection count: 97
File type: Executable File
Mime Type: unknown/exe
Group: Malware file

file.exe

File name: file.exe
Size: 400.89 KB (400896 bytes)
MD5: 2e6031a3acd6905b97c5ed88a60bfac4
Detection count: 75
File type: Executable File
Mime Type: unknown/exe
Group: Malware file

c:\Users\<username>\pictures\acrobac.exe

File name: acrobac.exe
Size: 577.53 KB (577536 bytes)
MD5: ebcbe216ab4c5281026c39e8e489ea93
Detection count: 73
File type: Executable File
Mime Type: unknown/exe
Path: c:\Users\<username>\pictures
Group: Malware file
Last Updated: January 22, 2019