'MNS CryptoLocker' Ransomware

Posted: December 29, 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:	23

First Seen:	December 29, 2016
OS(es) Affected:	Windows

The MNS CryptoLocker Ransomware is a Trojan that imitates CryptoLocker while it blocks your files until you transfer a cryptocurrency payment. These ransoms may not give you a real decryptor in return, and potential victims always should make a point of backing up any data that they can't ignore losing permanently. Most anti-malware applications, if actively monitoring your PC, also should isolate and delete the MNS CryptoLocker Ransomware without leaving it a window of opportunity for its encryption attack to take place.

The Trojan Name Living on in Infamy

Since CryptoLocker began impacting the landscape of cyber security several years ago, various groups of threat actors have misappropriated its brand without having any access to the file-enciphering Trojan's code. Possibly as a social engineering strategy to make their victims more likely to pay than ignore the attempted extortion, 'new' versions of CryptoLocker using the name inappropriately are verifiable up to the current day. Some of the latest of these threats include the Cryptolocker3 Ransomware, the 'Suppteam03@india.com' Ransomware, the FenixLocker Ransomware, and the newest, the MNS CryptoLocker Ransomware.

The majority of the above threats do provide real encryption attacks for blocking selected files on an infected PC. The MNS CryptoLocker Ransomware, like many Trojans of its kind, uses an AES or Rijndael-based algorithm for that purpose. No new filename changes or extensions are identifiable for this threat, although victims may expect an updated version of the MNS CryptoLocker Ransomware to be likely of appending new extensions (such as '.crypted' or '.cryptolocker') to any content that it locks.

The MNS CryptoLocker Ransomware also uses a pop-up based ransoming implementation, which delivers a message in poorly-written English demanding cash payments for restoring your encrypted data. The fee the MNS CryptoLocker Ransomware demands, one-fifth of a Bitcoin, is one that malware analysts rate as being a well-worn standard for threats targeting personal PC users. The 'affordable' rate of just under two hundred USD offers a relatively cheap answer to recovering blocked information that has no spare copies saved elsewhere. On the other hand, different threat actors offer different responses to receiving any payments, and some groups may take your money and not provide any help with decrypting the files.

Cutting the Value of a Threat Brand

An important detail to note is that the MNS CryptoLocker Ransomware, like many 'copycat' Trojans, has little to no code in common with the original CryptoLocker Trojan. Decryption tools meant to reverse damages inflicted by that second threat are unlikely to be of any use against the MNS CryptoLocker Ransomware. Multi-purpose decryption programs may offer another, free option for restoring any encrypted files. However, this solution is never guaranteed to work, and malware analysts emphasize using backups as the first line of defense against all threats of this classification.

Sample availability of the MNS CryptoLocker Ransomware has yet to come with confirmation of any distribution or installation exploits, if any, this Trojan's campaign uses. Maintaining cautious network login protocols and scanning all downloads offers two minimally-invasive ways of blocking this threat's installation attempts. Any professional anti-malware product also should find removing the MNS CryptoLocker Ransomware automatically an undemanding task.

The MNS CryptoLocker Ransomware profits only as long as PC users fail to treasure their valuable data as much as they should. If a file has any sense of value to you, then you also should consider the benefits of taking a few minutes to make a backup, which is a straightforward way of crippling the profit margins of the MNS CryptoLocker Ransomware and Trojans like it.

'MNS CryptoLocker' Ransomware

Threat Metric

The Trojan Name Living on in Infamy

Cutting the Value of a Threat Brand

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