Pig4444 Ransomware

The Pig4444 Ransomware is a variant of the Globe Imposter Ransomware, a family of file-locking Trojans that imitates Globe Ransomware superficially. Both families, including the Pig4444 Ransomware, can employ encryption-based attacks that stop your files from opening. You can prevent infections from causing any long-term harm by saving your content to a backup in a protected location, and use dedicated anti-malware products for removing the Pig4444 Ransomware safely.

The Zoo that's Running Wild in Your Files

Some repetitive versions of the Globe Imposter Ransomware are giving the public problems with accurate identification of the threat that's blocking their files. A new, animal-based series of these Trojans are launching campaigns in sequence: Tiger4444 Ransomware, Rat4444 Ransomware, and the Pig4444 Ransomware, the latter being this article's subject. Since theme matches the symbolism of the Chinese calendar, malware researchers suspect that the campaigns are attacking residents of that nation, specifically.

The Pig4444 Ransomware blocks files by encrypting them with AES-256, which is a favorite algorithm for threat actors, thanks to its speed of operation. New builds from the Pig4444 Ransomware's family include sufficient cryptographic protection that the files aren't 'unlockable' by freeware services. Meanwhile, the threat actors demand payment for their help through a Notepad TXT message that the Trojan drops.

Although the ransoming message uses English, it's not likely that the threat actor is a native speaker; the text includes a range of obvious grammar issues and, otherwise, follows a standard template. Victims shouldn't pay the ransom until they've tried all other options, although malware researchers deem no danger in querying the criminal for a 'free sample.'

Stopping Hackers from Bringing Home the Bacon

The Pig4444 Ransomware and both its animal-themed and non-animalistic relatives (see the .DOCM Ransomware, the ANAMI Ransomware, etc.) will not damage Windows. However, they do harm most of the data that's valuable to the average user, such as documents, archives or pictures. Identifying the content that's hostage is simplified by the Pig4444 Ransomware's 'Pig4444' appended extensions, but decryption requires the threat actor's customized key.

Users with Internet access can protect themselves from any infection methods that the Pig4444 Ransomware is likely of using by:

• Updating your software will patch out many of the drive-by-download vulnerabilities, such as buffer overflows or privilege escalations, which Trojan droppers and Exploit Kits use.
• Scanning downloads from threatening sources like e-mail or torrenting networks will identify a possible threat that's misrepresenting its identity.
• Eschewing weak and simple passwords will block attackers from brute-forcing their way through your login security.

Users have limited options for recovery from the 2.0 versions of the Pig4444 Ransomware's family. Besides having an unharmed backup and removing the Pig4444 Ransomware as soon as possible through anti-malware utilities, there is little that a victim can do for their files, and free decryption isn't possible.

Like animals, file-locking Trojans like the Pig4444 Ransomware will gorge themselves on any on-hand fodder and procreate as often as their environmental resources allow. Protecting your computer and the work you save on it will help with keeping Trojan swinery to low numbers.