'.x3m File Extension' Ransomware

Posted: November 22, 2016

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:	5

First Seen:	November 22, 2016
Last Seen:	January 13, 2020
OS(es) Affected:	Windows

The '.x3m File Extension' Ransomware is a Trojan that delivers ransom messages soliciting money in exchange for reversing the encryption-based damage that it does to your files. Its attacks include using harmful, non-consensual encryption to encode your local data, inserting new extensions into the associated content's names, and displaying pop-ups or hijacking your desktop's background. Malware experts recommend using anti-malware tools already viable against the Globe Ransomware family for removing the '.x3m File Extension' Ransomware.

The Globe Ransomware Spins Back Around Again

The Globe Ransomware is an increasingly active player in 2016's landscape of file-encrypting Trojan campaigns. With all evidence pointing to multiple threat actors using that base program with various tweaks to gain illicit revenue, the threat's distribution methods may be difficult to predict. Readers can look at the '.x3m File Extension' Ransomware, a Trojan malware experts began seeing in late November, for an example of what this family holds in store for its targets.

The '.x3m File Extension' Ransomware most likely is basing itself on the second version of the Globe Ransomware's main build. The Trojan's personal changes consist of new e-mail addresses (for communicating with the threat actors) and the '.x3m' extension that it adds after the name of each enciphered file. Like other Globe Ransomware releases, the '.x3m File Extension' Ransomware leaves the original format tag intact, if any exists (for instance, 'content.jpg' can become 'content.jpg.x3m').

The '.x3m File Extension' Ransomware may target nearly a thousand different extensions, as per the norm for its family, all of which receive a Blowfish-based encryption attack. The encryption blocks you from using your files, although it doesn't inflict any permanent damage, in theory. The '.x3m File Extension' Ransomware's accompanying pop-up messages issue demands to contact the Trojan admin's e-mail address on how to pay a ransom for decrypting that content.

Getting Ahead of a Program that Wants Your Files Scrambled

The people who administrate threats like the '.x3m File Extension' Ransomware often use cryptocurrency or other payment measures that offer you little or no protection from being defrauded. The immediate consequence of such strategies provides the threat actor with both identity and revenue protection, but also prevents a victim from having any reason to take them at their word. Ordinarily, malware experts endorse restoring through backups or advanced data recovery software, instead of paying ransoms like the '.x3m File Extension' Ransomware's fees.

Even in worst case scenarios, there are free decryptors that can restore some forms of encrypted data without needing you to pay any extortion money. While malware experts are happy to report that the cyber security industry has decrypted some versions of the Globe Ransomware, decryption software sometimes falls behind the techniques of new variants like the '.x3m File Extension' Ransomware. Other families of Trojans also are not capable of being decrypted at all necessarily.

The '.x3m File Extension' Ransomware includes settings changes, such as new Registry entries, that are best removable by PC security experts or appropriate software. Using anti-malware products for uninstalling the '.x3m File Extension' Ransomware, while not something that can bring your files back necessarily, can, at least, keep it from causing any new problems.

'.x3m File Extension' Ransomware

Threat Metric

The Globe Ransomware Spins Back Around Again

Getting Ahead of a Program that Wants Your Files Scrambled

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