Ruby Ransomware

Posted: May 10, 2017

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:	46

First Seen:	May 10, 2017
OS(es) Affected:	Windows

The Ruby Ransomware is a file-encryption Trojan that blocks other programs from opening your files by enciphering them with a custom algorithm. Since decryption research is ongoing, victims should restore their locked content through a backup whenever possible. Updated anti-malware programs also may delete the Ruby Ransomware during its installation routine, at which time its file usually will be named to imitate some form of 'safe' software.

The Shine of Ruby Dust Coating Your Files

Courtesy of a new threat actor known only as Hayzam Sherif, PC users are getting another hazard to encourage their scheduling backups: the Ruby Ransomware. While the Trojan uses a very standardized, encryption-based attack for locking your files, it also has a unique, minimalist pop-up function that helps the victim find customized information for paying its ransom. As usual with similar threats malware experts analyze, the Ruby Ransomware asks for a cryptocurrency to keep you from recovering your money afterward.

The Ruby Ransomware uses AES-based encryption, although malware experts have yet to verify whether or not the routine is vulnerable to decryption from third parties. The files locked by this encryption attack, such as documents, also acquire the '.ruby' extensions that the Ruby Ransomware injects after any default ones (such as 'text.txt.ruby'). However, being unable to open these files is only one of two symptoms of the Ruby Ransomware's final payload.

The Trojan's last symptoms include generating a detailed HTML page with its ransom demands, along with a pop-up with buttons for displaying your ID number or redirecting you to the above Web page. Unusual use of the English terminology implies that Hayzam Sherif isn't a native speaker, and malware experts can confirm some Spanish-language data details in some of the Trojan's components. An overwhelming majority of similar campaigns request payment through non-refundable methods, such as Bitcoins, before possibly returning the victim's files.

Cracking a Gem of a Trojan

By keeping things simple and avoiding extraneous details, the Ruby Ransomware presents an easy-to-understand ransoming system that might convince victims into paying for file restoration. However, paying a ransom almost never ties into automatic decryption features, and Hayzam Sherif is unlikely to request any payments that would be subject to refunds. Until malware experts can analyze the Ruby Ransomware further and determine its susceptibility to decryption, backups are your files' best chance of not being locked permanently.

The Ruby Ransomware's campaign hasn't seen significant distribution in the wild, and its infection vectors still are in flux. Most threat actors distribute file-encrypting Trojans like this one through the help of EKs like the Rig Exploit Kit or e-mail attachments. Changing your Web-browsing settings for covering potential vulnerabilities and letting anti-malware tools scan all new files could block or delete the Ruby Ransomware before an infection could occur.

To extortionists, Trojans like the Ruby Ransomware represent the shine of illicit profits made from taking what's not theirs either temporarily or in perpetuity. As campaigns like this one so clearly demonstrate, taking the same steps to protect your digital possessions that you would take for your 'real world' ones never is a waste of time or money.

Ruby Ransomware

Threat Metric

The Shine of Ruby Dust Coating Your Files

Cracking a Gem of a Trojan

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