Troj/Ransom-NY
Threat Scorecard
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| Threat Level: | 90 % (High) |
| Infected Computers: | 4 |
| First Seen: | March 6, 2013 |
| Last Seen: | March 22, 2021 |
| OS(es) Affected: | Windows |
Troj/Ransom-NY is a ransomware variant that leverages the power of Windows PowerShell to infect a computer and carry out its scam. ESG security researchers deal with ransomware Trojans on a daily basis. However, it is amazing how criminals manage to come up with new tactics, variants and gimmicks to fool PC security researchers and carry out their attacks. Troj/Ransom-NY is one variant of the ransomware scam that uses a novel twist to fool computer users and infect computers.
How Troj/Ransom-NY Uses Windows PowerShell in Its Attacks
One of the reasons why PC security researchers were captivated by Troj/Ransom-NY is because Troj/Ransom-NY encrypts files using Windows PowerShell. This is a scripting language that Microsoft provides to allow the automation of common tasks on a network of computers using the Windows operating system. It is very helpful for system administrations and is included with the Windows 7 operating system and with Windows 8 (it can be used with previous versions of Windows as well, but it is not included). Troj/Ransom-NY encrypts files using the Rijndael symmetric key encryption and the Windows PowerShell program. Troj/Ransom-NY also displays messages in Russian threatening its victims.
Troj/Ransom-NY is distributed through email spam. Troj/Ransom-NY arrives in a file attachment with the HTA extension. This malicious file contains two scripts that carry out most of the infection. The first of these two scripts will check to see if the infected computer contains Windows PowerShell. If Windows PowerShell is not set up, then Troj/Ransom-NY connects to DropBox and downloads and installs it on the victim's computer. The second script is a Windows PowerShell script that encrypts files using Windows PowerShell's own CreateEncryptor() function. Troj/Ransom-NY is designed to target files that are difficult to replace and are likelier to contain valuable information. Troj/Ransom-NY uses a list of 163 different file extensions that include videos, images, spreadsheets and documents.
How Troj/Ransom-NY Demands Its Ransom
So, how does Troj/Ransom-NY demand the ransom from its victims? As part of its attack, Troj/Ransom-NY creates a text file in each folder where Troj/Ransom-NY has encrypted files. This message is written in Russian and is contained in a text file named READ_ME_NOW.txt. This message contains the following message:
Your files are encrypted?
Do you want to unlock your files and do not know how?
You can get the decryption program in fully automatic mode in a few minutes!
This message leads the victim to a web page demanding payment for a 'unique code' in order to decrypt the affected files. This 'code' costs ten thousand Rubles, about 250 Euros. Fortunately, it is possible to decrypt the affected files using a reliable anti-malware program and Windows PowerShell itself to reverse the process.
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