Home Malware Programs Ransomware Project34 Ransomware

Project34 Ransomware

Posted: March 15, 2017

Threat Metric

Threat Level: 8/10
Infected PCs: 349
First Seen: March 15, 2017
Last Seen: March 19, 2023
OS(es) Affected: Windows

The Project34 Ransomware is a Trojan that encrypts your data by placing it into a password-protected archive. Despite the difference in attack methodology from other encryption-based threats, the Project34 Ransomware does pose a direct risk to your saved files and may lock them without recourse. While intercepting and removing the Project34 Ransomware with anti-malware protection is ideal, PC users needing more in-depth recovery methods should rely on their secure backups.

A New Number for a Numberless Series of Ransoming Attempts

Encryption-focused attacks persist as a central part of the underground marketplace for Ransomware-as-a-Service, as well as a theme in independently-designed samples of threatening software. Some of the most recent cases have taken to exploiting non-threatening applications to reduce the overhead investment in programming, such as using WinRAR to archive content instead of encrypting each file individually. The Project34 Ransomware is the latest of these Trojans using this method.

The encryption method of choice raises questions about possible connections between the Project34 Ransomware and other, recent threats, such as the 'All_Your_Documents.rar' Ransomware and its update, the Roshalock Ransomware. However, malware experts have been unable to corroborate links in either the threat actors or the software. Like them, the Project34 Ransomware enumerates your drives and places non-essential files (ones not related to your operating system), such as documents, into a WinRAR archive.

The Project34 Ransomware password protects the archive to keep the victim from regaining access to their files, and also drops a Notepad file on the PC. The enclosed message asks you to contact the threat actor's e-mail address, most likely to pay any demanded ransom in exchange for the Project34 Ransomware's password. Although the message uses Russian, the language uses poor grammar and appears to be the product of an automatic translation tool, meaning that the Trojan's administrator isn't targeting his native country.

Because of the threat's low distribution rate, malware experts can provide no further details of any ransom quantities or the feasibility of recovering the password without paying manually.

Updating Your OS Straight into Extortion

Threat actors are concealing the Project34 Ransomware's executable files as fake updates for Windows. While these mislabels could be to keep the user from identifying the threat, post-download purely, it also may be indicative of the Trojan installing itself through Exploit Kits, Trojan downloaders, and compromised websites that ask you to update your OS. Always obtain updates for software, including the operating system, only from a trusted URL like microsoft.com, and avoid trusting 'patches' that appear to be coming from advertising networks or other, indeterminate sources.

Giving con artists ransom money to recover passwords and decryption solutions for your data is a solution with certain drawbacks, considering the abuse of cryptocurrencies whose transactions confer limited or no legal protections particularly. Malware experts also often see local backups as targets for erasure by threats of the Project34 Ransomware's classification. Store copies of your files in safe locations, such as separate USB drives, and use anti-malware utilities to delete the Project34 Ransomware automatically without leaving time for any attacks.

Besides showing that Russia no longer enjoys being excluded from the favorite targets of cyber-extortionists clearly, the Project34 Ransomware exhibits few qualities of note. However, that doesn't hamper the potency of its attacks against any PC owners who aren't making full use of their backup strategies.

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