Urs Ransomware

The Urs Ransomware is a file-locking Trojan that's part of the Crysis Ransomware family. The primary features of this Ransomware-as-a-Service involve stopping media such as documents from opening and holding them hostage until victims pay a ransom. Effective backup solutions will reduce data recovery issues, and most cyber-security products should remove the Urs Ransomware from compromised PCs.

That File that will not Open is a Trojan's Latest Hostage

Secure encryption is a utility in threat actors' kits that never goes out of style, even though early wielders of file-encrypting attacks go back years. Variants of the long-running Crysis Ransomware service (also called Dharma Ransomware, after another early campaign) are consistent proof of the potency of encrypting and 'locking' files in the wrong hands. The Urs Ransomware plays the part of the latest exclamation point to the statement.

The Urs Ransomware uses the same, AES encryption with RSA protection as other members of its family, in the fashion of the 14x Ransomware, the Gac Ransomware, the LDPR Ransomware or the SWP Ransomware. Each file that it encrypts and blocks includes a campaign-unique, inserted extension (as per the Trojan's name, but with an additional ID string and e-mail address). More quietly, the Trojan also deletes the local Restore Points that could let victims restore their work.

The ransom notes that malware analysts see, unsurprisingly, don't swerve from the Ransomware-as-a-Service family's previous standards. The Urs Ransomware uses pop-up HTA files and Notepad TXT text messages for relaying its instructions. Victims should remember that paying ransoms doesn't promise good behavior on the attacker's part, and threat actors may not provide their unlocking services to paying customers.

Stopping a Lock from Snapping over Precious Data

Preventing the Urs Ransomware's campaign from gaining any traction requires the same safety steps that malware researchers long-recommend for countering other threats of this type. Administrators have the burden of monitoring software versions for patches especially, disabling risky features like RDP, and confirming that all passwords are strong sufficiently that they can resist a brute-force attack. Businesses are at high risk from RaaS campaigns and non-consensual data encryption especially.

Nonetheless, Windows users at home aren't invincible, and their files may experience encryption just as readily as any business network's data. For most users, having a backup on another device suffices for resolving any data loss occurring from the Urs Ransomware's payload. File-locking Trojans usually will target the most in-use media formats, such as documents, pictures, music, movies, databases and slideshows.

Due to their overall high efficiency at blocking and removing file-locking Trojans, automated security services such as anti-virus suites are ideal for dealing with this Trojan. Users who delete the Urs Ransomware without a dedicated security solution's assistance may miss some components or related threats that are responsible for the Trojan's installation in the first place.

Business is business, whether it's inside the boundaries of the law or outside of them. Windows users either can sleep on their security and pay the price, or deal with the Urs Ransomware competently with backups and standard security, as is always best.