Security Alert: Locky Ransomware Is Now THOR
Ransomware gangs are at it again. A new Locky ransomware variant now carries the THOR extension. Here’s what you should know:
- Like Locky, THOR is distributed via SPAM campaigns.
- Recent emails masquerade as a request to open a “budget forecast” attachment for a soon-to-be-due project.
- The bogus email carries an infected attachment usually a zip file. The infected file contains a VBS script that starts the attack by downloading a DLL Installer.
- Once executed, THOR searches for targeted file types, converts the file names into nonsensical descriptions, encrypts the files and attaches the THOR extension.
- THOR will attempt (and many times, succeed) to delete the Shadow Volume Copies that are used to restore previous file versions in Windows making quick restores impossible.
- At this time, there is no known decryption tool for the THOR ransomware variant.
The only way to recover from a Locky/THOR ransomware attack (if your Shadow Copies have been deleted) is through your backup system. Keep in mind that data backup systems do not ensure a quick recovery. So, if all you have is a data backup system, you could be in for a long, painful recovery.
The ultimate protection against data loss is a Hybrid-cloud backup solution that provides for:
- Instant onsite failover for super-fast, local restores.
- Cloud failover to two (2) geographically separated locations for maximum protection and redundancy.
- Image capture for fast restores.
- Bare Metal Restore capability.
- Full management from installation to monitoring to maintenance and finally, restoration.
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