ESET Reports Major Increase

ESET Reports Major Increase 

of Dangerous Filecoders  Trojans 

Extorting Ransom After Encrypting Data

ESET, ESET HQ Malware Research Lab is reporting an unusual spike in the actvity of Filecoder malware - trojans that encrypt user files and try to extort a ransom from the victim in exchange for a decrypting software. ESET LiveGrid® technology- the company's cloud-based malware collection system - has shown a rising weekly number of Win32/Filecoder detections by over 200% since July 2013 from average numbers in January - June 2013. Significant  share of detection (44%) are from Russia, but a significant  share is reported in southern Europe (Italy, Spain), Central and Eastern Europe (Germany, Czech Republic, Poland, Romania and Ukraine), and the United States.

To infect the computer, cybercriminals are using various infiltration methods: drive-by downloads from malware-laden websites; e-mail attachments, installation through another Trojan or Backdoor, or even manual installation by the attacker.

Robert Lipovsky, Malware Researcher at ESET said, "TheWin32/Filecoder malware family is more dangerous than other types of so-called ransom ware as they usually encrypt pictures, documents, music and archives. A wide range of techniques and levels of sophistication has been seen in different variants over time. It can be very expensive. Malware samples in this malware category usually request sums around 100 - 200€, however some have been seen extorting up to 3000€. The high amount is consistent with the fact that the attackers usually target businesses that can usually afford to pay higher ransoms than individuals"

One recent variant puts the victims under pressure by displaying a countdown timer indicating that the encryption key will be permanently deleted, making the recovery of the encrypted files nearly impossible. ESET advises Internet surfers to stay protected with regularly updated Antivirus software (ESET products detect these dangerous files). However, it is also a good idea to password-protect anti-malware software's settings to prevent them being altered by an attacker andbackup regularly.

About ESET

Founded in 1992, ESET is a global provider of security solutions for businesses and consumers. ESET's flagship products ESET NOD32 Antivirus, ESET Smart Security and ESET Cyber security for Mac are trusted by millions of global users. ESET NOD32 Antivirus holds the world record for the number of Virus Bulletin "VB100" Awards, and has never missed a single "In-the-Wild" worm or virus since the inception of testing in 1998. 

The Company has global headquarters in Bratislava (Slovakia), with regional distribution headquarters in San Diego (U.S.), Buenos Aires (Argentina), and Singapore. ESET has malware research centers in Bratislava, San Diego, Buenos Aires, Prague (Czech Republic), Krakow (Poland), Montreal (Canada), Moscow (Russia), and an extensive partner network in 180 countries.

In India ESET products are exclusively supplied and supported by "ESS Distribution Pvt Ltd".  The sales of ESET products are executed through the Channel Partners across India. Website: www.esetindia.com/

About ESET LiveGrid® technology

Build on ThreatSense.NET advanced early warning system, ESET LiveGrid® is designed to provide additional levels of security to your computer. It constantly monitors your system's running programs and processes against the latest intelligence collected from millions of ESET users worldwide. Additionally, your system scans are processed faster and more precisely as the ESET LiveGrid® database grows over time.

ESET's cloud-based LiveGrid® technology comprises of several parts, which can be roughly divided into three types of data which are sent from participating clients' computers to our Security Research Lab: detection statistics (also known as ThreatSense.Net), malicious and suspicious files, and various metadata about files. All of this is vital for making detection more effective. The information flows the other way (from the cloud to the client) as well. The benefits of cloud-assisted scanning include a faster response time (not having to wait for a full signature update), better scanning performance (optimization) and a more accurate detection with less false positives.