MadBit Ransomware

Posted: January 2, 2018

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:	8/10
Infected PCs:	3

First Seen:	March 29, 2023
OS(es) Affected:	Windows

The MadBit Ransomware is a file-locker Trojan that tries to extort money from its victims by blocking their files and withholding the unlocking code. This Trojan may pretend to be a default Windows program while it infects your computer and includes symptoms such as hijacking the extensions of your media and showing an ASCII-based pop-up. Different brands of anti-malware software may delete the MadBit Ransomware securely, but backups predating the attack may be the only data-restoring solution for any victims.

The Difference that a Dash of Madness Makes in Your Data

A brand-new, independent threat in the file-locking Trojan industry is starting to make its mark with a campaign that's evidently targeting Windows users. Whether it's manually or through an indirect method, the victims are downloading and launching a fake 'CMD.exe' Windows file that, instead of providing command line features, encrypts their media for later ransoming. Malware researchers find no familial ties with this new Trojan, the MadBit Ransomware, and old ones like Hidden Tear, the CryptMix Ransomware, or the Globe Imposter Ransomware.

The MadBit Ransomware's encryption method uses an AES cipher for the act of 'locking' different files, such as movies, images, documents or spreadsheets. As per the standard for threats of its type, the MadBit Ransomware gives an identifying extension (the '.enc' string) to their names. While malware experts can't determine the full extent of the encryption protocol's security, they see no immediate, free decryption solutions available for current samples, which forces the victim to find other ways of restoring their files.

This Trojan 'sells' its threat actor's decryptor by the slightly non-traditional means of generating a pop-up for showing ASCII text, instead of a locally-saved Notepad file. The window provides a custom code, an e-mail address for negotiating, and the possibility of a 'trial' unlocking of a single file. Since the cybercrooks specify their payment in Bitcoins, they are always free to take the money and give no service, with little to no risk to his business model.

The Therapy for Restoring Your PC's Sanity

Protection from threats of the MadBit Ransomware's payload type includes a heavy emphasis on preemptive security and data redundancy: establishing backups on a secure, secondary device, using conservative login combinations, restricting network-access permissions, and running anti-malware solutions on all network-connected systems. Because of its Windows-specific infection technique, malware experts also recommend avoiding Windows components downloads that aren't from a Microsoft-endorsed source. However, some threat actors may prefer infecting PCs with the MadBit Ransomware manually after breaching a network.

Getting assistance from specialized anti-malware researchers sometimes allows the victims of file-locking Trojan campaigns to restore some or all of their data, especially for Trojans like the MadBit Ransomware that use AES enciphering protocols. However, being unable to unlock your files, either freely or by paying a cybercrook, isn't always possible. Most anti-malware products should prevent the damage outright by deleting the MadBit Ransomware before the file-locking feature finishes.

A small name like the MadBit Ransomware is unlikely of making noticeable waves in a black market that's over-saturated with variants of Hidden Tear, the Globe Ransomware and other file-locking Trojans. Still, its attacks are as problematic for anyone who doesn't stick to a backup schedule equally.

MadBit Ransomware

Threat Metric

The Difference that a Dash of Madness Makes in Your Data

The Therapy for Restoring Your PC's Sanity

Leave a Reply