Weui Ransomware

The Weui Ransomware is a file-locker Trojan that's from the STOP Ransomware family. The Weui Ransomware can block files on Windows systems, digital media like documents, pictures, or audio, particularly, and withholds them while demanding a ransom. Users should have anti-malware products remove the Weui Ransomware immediately and recover from their last, secure backups as appropriate.

A Cyber-Soldier of Fortune Swoops in with Chinese Tags

The STOP Ransomware, a Ransomware-as-a-Service that roams the world with near-infinite variants like the Foqe Ransomware, the MOOL Ransomware, the Topi Ransomware or the Zwer Ransomware. Once again, it spills new threats out onto the Web, although the latest batch includes the novelty of a geo-regional clue. The Weui Ransomware, a somewhat China-inspired update, continues with the encryption and other integral traits of this family, sabotaging media files for Bitcoins.

Most of the expected effects of the Weui Ransomware infections of any relevance to victims focus on endangering data by encrypting media files through AES (and an RSA key, which it may either download or use according to an internal value). It also inserts another extension of 'weui' and wipes the user's Restore Point backups. Equally troublesomely, the Trojan can interfere with some security solutions and features and blocks some websites by changing the Hosts file's entries.

All of these attacks are for pressuring victims into a premium data recovery service through the STOP Ransomware family's traditional ransom notes. This text file asks for nearly one thousand USD in Bitcoins, with extras like a free demonstration and two e-mail addresses for support.

The extension is a string that different threat actors may set to various values. However, in the Weui Ransomware case, it seemingly refers to the user interface component of China's WeChat application. WeChat is a Tencent-developed program that includes social media, messaging, and mobile payment features, and one might describe it as China's 'super application.' Its global recognition and ties to China's government lead to the conclusion that the Weui Ransomware's threat actor targets WeChat users or, possibly, plans to make political statements during the attacks.

Breaking Up the Framework of Extortionist Plans

The Weui Ransomware's name being the same as WeChat's UI framework component, makes for a possible lead on its threat actor's nationality or just their planned victims. Still, all users of reasonably-modern versions of Windows are at risk from the encryption routine of the Weui Ransomware's family, which can stop files of almost all major media types from opening. Changing the name back to 'normal' doesn't reverse this attack; the extension is purely informative for the victim's benefit.

Some versions of STOP Ransomware use torrents as infection tactics by imitating illegal downloads like copyright-protected movies or game-cheating tools. Others may abuse browser vulnerabilities, usually through an Exploit Kit or other strategy that takes advantage of out-of-date software or features like Flash, JavaScript and Flash. Some targets, businesses particularly, are at risk from more-direct methods like e-mail phishing lures that pretend they're invoices or attackers brute-forcing login credentials.

These issues are resolvable by users maintaining strong standards for Web-browsing security, such as installing updates, turning off unnecessary features and using strong passwords. A comprehensive backup also is crucial for recovering due to the strength of the STOP Ransomware family's encryption method. Standardized PC security products should isolate or remove the Weui Ransomware as it becomes necessary.

With random four-letter words for working with, the Weui Ransomware's name might turn out to be a coincidence. Whether it's targeting Chinese application users or not, it's a danger to those without the proper backups, no matter what language they're speaking.