RAA Ransomware made Up-to-Date for Targeting Businesses

One new kind of ransomware called RAA is circulating containing Trojan which steals data. The RAA authors have updated their ware so it much better compromises corporate systems. The updated features include the capability for loading malware on victims' computers as well as encrypting them irrespective of whether they are online or offline.

It was during June 2016 when the RAA malware made its debut. However, ransomware evolves fast as is evident from its burgeoning trend this year; notably at Kaspersky Lab, cybersecurity researchers have already uncovered one fresh variant.

The researchers found that corporate users were targeted with malicious electronic mails which told of a pending payment order certain vendor was reminding of. The e-mails are crafted to appear more genuine by the fraudsters who state that for making sure security is intact a given file attachment is password-protected and recipients can find the password at the message's end. Protection is further ensured via maintaining asymmetric encryption. While cyber savvy end-users will find the message's security explanation ridiculous, gullible victims will consider it trustworthy. Itnewsafrica.com posted this, September 13, 2016.

Also, jut like before, this time too the procedure for infecting remains same along with a similar way of installing and executing the ransomware as the victimized end-user runs the malevolent file having .js extension inside the attachment. Also as the installation procedure happens, one phony text document is exhibited containing random characters prior to displaying one ransom note as well as encrypting data-files that are suffixed with .locked.

What's even bad is that the RAA comes packaged with a Trojan called Pony that seizes passwords from every type of e-mail client even those that businesses use. These passwords are then dispatched to the remote fraudsters who become equipped for spreading their malware. Actually, the malware from the victim's business e-mail proliferates to all businesses on the formers contact list. Subsequently, the fraudsters pick and choose the contacts they want to carry out personalized phishing assaults.

Researchers discovered that less than a third of companies regularly scanned e-mails for spear-phishing messages although these can be easily overturned early on using certain fundamental cyber-security methods.

» SPAMfighter News - 9/19/2016