Ufo Ransomware

The Ufo Ransomware is a file-locking Trojan that stops media like documents from opening by encrypting the file's internal data. Victims also may receive demands for a ransom or offers for a premium recovery service through its New Year-themed pop-up. A robust backup plan can nullify the impact of its attacks. Still, all users should remove the Ufo Ransomware promptly with appropriate security services to prevent further harm to their files.

Watching Unidentified Flying Trojans

Most file-locker Trojans that are part of a significant family are identifiable immediately, but some leave more room to doubt than others do. The Ufo Ransomware, a late catch for the last month of 2020, is a New Years-themed example of a threat that may or may not be part of populous groups like the Crysis Ransomware or its spin-off branch of the Phobos Ransomware. What's more sure is its attacks: blocking files for pay.

The Ufo Ransomware uses a standard means of 'locking' files on Windows users' computers: converting them into non-opening versions by encrypting them. The attack includes a more superficial change that implants new extensions, with an unusual compound format of 'encrypted11.[HappyNewYear2021@tutanota.com].ufo.' The e-mail it provides is the threat actor's contact for negotiating over recovering the files for a ransom.

More explicitly, the Ufo Ransomware also generates a pop-up alert. The warning is quite similar to some versions of Phobos Ransomware and Crysis Ransomware, although this similarity isn't enough, alone, for confirmation of a relationship. Besides (as usual) asking for Bitcoins and offering IDs unique to victims, the Ufo Ransomware's ransom instructions don't stand out from the pack, except for the e-mail address's New Year theme.

Unsurprisingly, for a newly-released threat, there isn't a free unlocking utility for the Ufo Ransomware. If it's a dedicated member of the Crysis Ransomware or an offshoot, such solutions may never arrive.

Shooting the Ufo Ransomware Down from the New Year's Sky

Whether or not it's a variant of such well-known Ransomware-as-a-Services, the Ufo Ransomware is a credible threat to unprotected files on most Windows systems. It may sabotage documents, spreadsheets, audio like music, databases, archives, or other formats with little discrimination, besides not damaging the OS. Third-party decryption isn't often practical, and threat actors may expect thousands or tens of thousands of dollars in ransoms.

By now, Windows users should know the value of backing up their work. Malware experts point to offsite backups additionally, like cloud storage, as better-protected against file-locking Trojans. This threat's infection vectors are unknown, although there is confirmation that the Trojan depends on the .NET Framework, which limits its portability to other operating systems.

Reputable security solutions for Windows environments should block this threat automatically and most drive-by-download exploits. If need be, users also can remove the Ufo Ransomware installations through traditional AV and anti-malware tools.

The Ufo Ransomware is a reasonably likely relative of well-analyzed Trojans like the 1500dollars Ransomware or Cvc Ransomware. Even if it's a single entity with a suspicious resemblance, its victims are guilty of the same mistakes in not backing up their work as the very earliest recipients of RaaSes like the Dharma Ransomware.