4k Ransomware

A new ransomware variant has been let loose recently. The new threat is called the 4k Ransomware and is yet another clone of the Crysis/Dharma family of ransomwareits . The collective Crysis/Dharma pool of threats is growing each month, and its new additions do little to set themselves apart from the rest.

The new 4k Ransomware that has been spotted by security researchers in mid-May has no remarkable new features either and is probably a build from a new group, intended for another spam campaign attack. The most notable change is the extension it uses, '4k.' A normal file named "document.pdf" will become "document.pdf.4k". The ransom note also remains largely unchanged from previous version. The main difference is the new email used by the bad actors behind the 4k Ransomware. Victims are expected to send an email to "rocosmon at cock.li" to receive further information about the amount of the ransom and have a couple of files decrypted as proof possibly.

Paying up and complying with the demands of cybercriminals is never a wise thing to do. The best defense against the 4k Ransomware and similar crypto-threats remains a regular backup schedule with essential files being backed up to an external device. A robust, up-to-date anti-malware suite is another security measure that can assist in stopping malware code greatly before it has a chance to execute on your system.