Plague17 Ransomware

The Plague17 Ransomware is a file-locker Trojan that can stop your media from opening and hold it for ransom with a text message. Users should withhold the ransom payments, when possible, and take advantage of free decryption solutions or backups for retrieving any data. Most anti-malware products should offer sufficient protection and block or remove the Plague17 Ransomware by default.

The Worst Kind of Disease to Hit Your Files

While the Black Death has had its day of notoriety in history, 2019 is offering up a software-based disease that's hardly less deadly for its victims, although it only attacks their data. File-locker Trojans like the Plague17 Ransomware retain their viability as profit-generating models for criminals, as this specific threat shows off very well. Although the earliest samples of it go back to 2014, a new version still is running, five years afterward.

The Plague17 Ransomware's campaigns, previously, had a focus on Russian speakers for their extortion, although new versions are switching to English. The attacks leverage AES encryption (one of the most commonplace algorithms in such campaigns) for blocking the user's documents, pictures, music and other media. The Plague17 Ransomware also inserts extra information in the files as UTF-16-encoded markers.

These changes prevent the file from opening and require a compatible, specialized decryptor for unlocking it. Unfortunately, despite its age, malware experts see no signs of the Plague17 Ransomware's having a decryption solution for the public. Users paying the ransom take the gamble that they'll get their file-unlocking help back, in exchange, although a criminal with Bitcoins in his wallet has no motivation for helping the victim any further.

Cutting the Cases of Cyber-Disease Number Seventeen

Malware researchers are nailing down current releases of the Plague17 Ransomware as using Windows 32-bit executables with the name of 'gwintl,' and a slightly larger-than-usual size of two and a half megabytes. It could circulate through social engineering-based tactics like fake software updates, e-mail invoices, or torrents. Users also might suffer exposure from using weak passwords that attackers can brute-force for getting into the system.

A secure, non-local backup is a flawless defense against file-locker Trojans like the Plague17 Ransomware relatively. For other protective guidelines, users should avoid illicit downloads, turn off vulnerability-susceptible features like JavaScript, and use strong passwords. All known symptoms of the Plague17 Ransomware infections occur after it runs its encryption routine, which means that catching the Trojan in the act is improbable.

However, established brands of Windows anti-malware solutions should find no problems with isolating, blocking, or deleting the Plague17 Ransomware, as is relevant.

A majority of the cyber-security marketplace can thwart the disease of the Plague17 Ransomware, but undoing a successful attack is far more complex an issue. Allowing laziness to put your files on the line is a risk that can cost either money or media – your choice.