ABANTES Ransomware

The ABANTES Ransomware is a file-locking Trojan and a variant of Hidden Tear. Attacks by this threat include data encryption that can block your media, as well as other, high-visibility symptoms that can harm your UI accessibility or damage core Windows components. Users should keep backups of their work on other devices, familiarize themselves with Windows emergency repair and reinstallation protocols, and have anti-malware products for deleting the ABANTES Ransomware automatically.

A Clown with More than Puns for Your Computer

Hidden Tear is a regularly-mined resource for criminals wanting to lock files for commercial or frivolous purposes. However, most threat actors' campaigns basing themselves off of Hidden Tear restrict themselves to what malware experts would rate as minor updates, such as changes to the ransoming instructions or the filename edits. The ABANTES Ransomware, however, is far more involved of a project than its distant cousins like the Epoblockl Ransomware, the Qinynore Ransomware, the CryptoGod Ransomware or the Horros Ransomware.

The ABANTES Ransomware uses the same form of AES or Rijndael encryption for locking media that is commonplace among most of the members of Utku Sen's Hidden Tear family. Malware experts aren't connecting the attack with the usual convention of appending extensions or other changes to the names so that any encrypted files, still, are unopenable effectively. The file-locker Trojan also generates a customized pop-up WIndows error whenever the user tries opening these files.

However, the rest of the ABANTES Ransomware's symptoms, while mostly cosmetic, are more in-depth and unusual than those of most HT Trojans significantly. The ABANTES Ransomware hijacks the desktop's background at the start of its encryption routine, forces the user to sign back into Windows (with another, customized message), displays a surprising range of additional pop-ups with different formats, and even causes icon 'glitches' with the mouse cursor. Additional, conditional features of the ABANTES Ransomware infections can cause other graphical errors, imitate the Blue Screens of Death, and even erase the Windows Registry.

Killing a Joke Before It Gets Played on Your Files

The ABANTES Ransomware's name is Greek etymologically, but its payload suggests that the threat actor is either Russian or from a neighboring nation. However, like most versions of Hidden Tear, the ABANTES Ransomware may compromise and lock the files of PCs worldwide, as long as it's accessing a Windows environment with the appropriate software packages available. Current versions of the ABANTES Ransomware require the victim's installing several dependencies, including a patch for Visual C++ 2015 and .NET Framework. However, malware experts are pointing out the absence of any compatibility for Windows 10.

The ABANTES Ransomware is capable of damaging, not just your work and other files, but core parts of the Windows OS. Its threat actor is providing the file-locker Trojan, free of charge, and its sources date back at least to May of 2018. As usual, Windows users should emphasize well-maintained and secured backups for any file-restoring needs, have an appropriate CD, DVD or USB for Windows recovery, and let their anti-malware tools handle uninstalling the ABANTES Ransomware.

The ABANTES Ransomware is far more dangerous than the average member of the Hidden Tear family, which threat actors both casual and experienced are exploiting for low-level crime and well-coordinated campaigns. Taking this 'clown' Trojan for granted may give anyone on an outdated Windows platform more problems than 'only' losing all of their documents and photos.