FUCKaNDrUN Ransomware

Cybersecurity experts sometimes release malware for educational purposes. However, ill-intended individuals never fail to hijack such projects, alter them and therefore weaponize the campaign to benefit themselves. This was the case with the HiddenTear Ransomware project. It is a data-encrypting Trojan that was meant to serve as an educational tool for individuals researching this field. However, this was turned upside down quickly when cyber crooks took hold of the source code of the HiddenTear Trojan and weaponized it. Thankfully, the creators of the HiddenTear project were one step ahead of the cyber crooks and made sure to utilize a feature generating a unique encryption key that would ensure that cracking the threat would be fairly easy. This helped many victims of various versions of the HiddenTear Ransomware to retrieve their data without having to pay a ransom fee.

Likely Decryptable with a Free Decryption Tool

Among the newest weaponized variants of the HiddenTear Ransomware is the FUCKaNDrUN Ransomware. Its creators have not altered the data-locking technique, which is good news for everyone who has fallen victim to the FUCKaNDrUN Ransomware, as this threat is likely decryptable easily with an already available free decryption tool. However, there are several differences between the original HiddenTear Ransomware and the FUCKaNDrUN Ransomware. The creators of the latter have altered the message in the ransom note slightly and added a string of code that is meant to replace the wallpaper of the user with an eerie looking image provided by the attackers.

Encryption and the Ransom Note

Once the FUCKaNDrUN Ransomware applies its encryption algorithm, all the targeted data will be locked. This ransomware threat appends a ‘.FUCKaNDrUN’ extension at the end of all file names. This means that an audio file, which you had called ‘late-night.mp3’, will be renamed to ‘late-night.mp3. FUCKaNDrUN’ after the encryption process of the threat has been completed. Next, the FUCKaNDrUN Ransomware will drop its ransom note, which is contained in the ‘READ_IT.txt’ file. The attackers demand the transaction be completed via Bitcoin, and they ask for $300 as a ransom fee. The authors of the FUCKaNDrUN Ransomware also demand to be contacted via email and have provided one email address – ‘help-me-now@mail.bg.’

If you have fallen victim to the FUCKaNDrUN Ransomware, do not fret! First, make sure you wipe off the FUCKaNDrUN Ransomware from your system using a reputable anti-malware application. Next, use a decryption tool compatible with the HiddenTear Ransomware and begin the file recovery process.