Re: Demon Tools For Windows 7
Tanja Freeze
DEMON ransomware was discovered by GrujaRS. This malicious software encrypts files, renames them, creates a ransom message and displays another in a pop-up window. DEMON renames encrypted files by appending the ".DEMON" extension to filenames.
The ransom messages (text file and pop-up window) state that DEMON encrypts all data, and the only way to recover them is to pay a ransom. Victims must pay $10,000 in Bitcoins by transferring cryptocurrency to the BTC wallet address provided.
It is also mentioned that unless the transaction is made within 600 minutes (10 hours), all of the victim's data will be destroyed and/or sold to third parties. For more details, victims are urged to contact these cyber criminals by sending an email to black...@gszmail.com.
Typically, ransomware-type programs encrypt files with strong encryption algorithms, and it is impossible to recover them without the correct decryption tools. Unfortunately, in most cases, the only people who have these tools are the cyber criminals who designed the ransomware.
Despite this, never trust them or pay the ransom. Victims who pay are often scammed - they receive no decryption tools or keys. Therefore, DEMON's developers should not be trusted. In such cases, the only way to recover files without having to use tools purchased from cyber criminals is to restore them from a backup.
Generally, software of this type encrypts data and keeps it inaccessible unless victims purchase tools/keys from the cyber criminals who designed the ransomware. Main variables are cost of a decryption tool and cryptographic algorithm (symmetric or asymmetric) that ransomware uses to lock data.
Some examples of other ransomware include Baraka Team, Tsar and Happychoose. Typically, it is impossible to decrypt files without specific tools held only by cyber criminals, unless (in rare cases) the ransomware contains bugs/flaws or is still in development.
In most cases, computers become infected with ransomware and other malicious software through spam campaigns, fake software updaters, untrusted file and/or software download sources, unofficial software activation tools and Trojans.
Cyber criminals attempt to trick people into installing malware through malicious files that they attach to their emails. They send emails that are disguised as important and official, and hope that recipients open the attached file, or a file downloaded through an included website link.
Examples of files that they usually attach are Microsoft Office documents, PDF documents, archive files such as ZIP, RAR, executable files (.exe) and JavaScript files. Fake software updaters can infect systems by exploiting bugs/flaws of outdated software, or simply by installing malware rather than updates.
Untrusted software download/installation sources such as Peer-to-Peer networks (e.g. eMule, torrent clients), free file hosting pages, third party downloaders, installers, freeware download websites are often used by cyber criminals to distribute and host malicious files.
By opening files downloaded through such channels, many users risk installing malware. Unofficial software activation ('cracking') tools are used by some people to bypass activation of licensed software, however, these can cause installation of malware rather than activating any installed software free of charge.
Never open files or website links within irrelevant emails, especially if the messages are sent from unknown, suspicious addresses. Software should be downloaded only from official websites and through direct links.
All other sources (mentioned above) cannot be trusted, since they are often used to distribute malicious software. Installed software must be updated with tools or implemented functions designed by official software developers, and not other, third party updaters. The same applies to software activation.
Furthermore, it is illegal to activate programs with 'cracking' (unofficial activation) tools. Have reputable antivirus or anti-spyware software installed, keep it up to date, and scan the operating system for threats regularly.
What happened to my computer?
[!] Your documents, photos, databases and other important files have been encrypted with strongest encryption and unique key, generated for this computer.
[!] Private decryption key is stored on a secret internet server and nobody can decrypt your files until you pay and obtain the private key.
[!] You have only 72 hours to submit the payment. If you do not send the money within provided time, all your files will be permanently crypted and leaked on internet.
If you are a victim of a ransomware attack we recommend reporting this incident to authorities. By providing information to law enforcement agencies you will help track cybercrime and potentially assist in the prosecution of the attackers. Here's a list of authorities where you should report a ransomware attack. For the complete list of local cybersecurity centers and information on why you should report ransomware attacks, read this article.
Some ransomware-type infections are designed to encrypt files within external storage devices, infect them, and even spread throughout the entire local network. For this reason, it is very important to isolate the infected device (computer) as soon as possible.
The easiest way to disconnect a computer from the internet is to unplug the Ethernet cable from the motherboard, however, some devices are connected via a wireless network and for some users (especially those who are not particularly tech-savvy), disconnecting cables may seem troublesome. Therefore, you can also disconnect the system manually via Control Panel:
Right-click on each connection point and select "Disable". Once disabled, the system will no longer be connected to the internet. To re-enable the connection points, simply right-click again and select "Enable".
As mentioned above, ransomware might encrypt data and infiltrate all storage devices that are connected to the computer. For this reason, all external storage devices (flash drives, portable hard drives, etc.) should be disconnected immediately, however, we strongly advise you to eject each device before disconnecting to prevent data corruption:
Some ransomware-type might be able to hijack software that handles data stored within "the Cloud". Therefore, the data could be corrupted/encrypted. For this reason, you should log-out of all cloud storage accounts within browsers and other related software. You should also consider temporarily uninstalling the cloud-management software until the infection is completely removed.
This, however, is rare. In most cases, ransomware infections deliver more direct messages simply stating that data is encrypted and that victims must pay some sort of ransom. Note that ransomware-type infections typically generate messages with different file names (for example, "_readme.txt", "READ-ME.txt", "DECRYPTION_INSTRUCTIONS.txt", "DECRYPT_FILES.html", etc.). Therefore, using the name of a ransom message may seem like a good way to identify the infection. The problem is that most of these names are generic and some infections use the same names, even though the delivered messages are different and the infections themselves are unrelated. Therefore, using the message filename alone can be ineffective and even lead to permanent data loss (for example, by attempting to decrypt data using tools designed for different ransomware infections, users are likely to end up permanently damaging files and decryption will no longer be possible even with the correct tool).
Another way to identify a ransomware infection is to check the file extension, which is appended to each encrypted file. Ransomware infections are often named by the extensions they append (see files encrypted by Qewe ransomware below).
One of the easiest and quickest ways to identify a ransomware infection is to use the ID Ransomware website. This service supports most existing ransomware infections. Victims simply upload a ransom message and/or one encrypted file (we advise you to upload both if possible).
The ransomware will be identified within seconds and you will be provided with various details, such as the name of the malware family to which the infection belongs, whether it is decryptable, and so on.
If your data happens to be encrypted by ransomware that is not supported by ID Ransomware, you can always try searching the internet by using certain keywords (for example, a ransom message title, file extension, provided contact emails, crypto wallet addresses, etc.).
Encryption algorithms used by most ransomware-type infections are extremely sophisticated and, if the encryption is performed properly, only the developer is capable of restoring data. This is because decryption requires a specific key, which is generated during the encryption. Restoring data without the key is impossible. In most cases, cybercriminals store keys on a remote server, rather than using the infected machine as a host. Dharma (CrySis), Phobos, and other families of high-end ransomware infections are virtually flawless, and thus restoring data encrypted without the developers' involvement is simply impossible. Despite this, there are dozens of ransomware-type infections that are poorly developed and contain a number of flaws (for example, the use of identical encryption/decryption keys for each victim, keys stored locally, etc.). Therefore, always check for available decryption tools for any ransomware that infiltrates your computer.
Finding the correct decryption tool on the internet can be very frustrating. For this reason, we recommend that you use the No More Ransom Project and this is where identifying the ransomware infection is useful. The No More Ransom Project website contains a "Decryption Tools" section with a search bar. Enter the name of the identified ransomware, and all available decryptors (if there are any) will be listed.
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