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ClicoCrypter Ransomware

Posted: August 18, 2017

Threat Metric

Threat Level: 8/10
Infected PCs: 28
First Seen: August 18, 2017
Last Seen: September 18, 2021
OS(es) Affected: Windows

The ClicoCrypter Ransomware is a Trojan that locks your files with a combination of the AES and RSA encryptions, an attack that threat actors often use to demand ransom payments. Although the ClicoCrypter Ransomware is in development as a proof-of-concept project purely, threat actors could hijack this software and use it to compromise your PC's media. Allow anti-malware products to delete the ClicoCrypter Ransomware proactively, when appropriate, and keep backups to prevent any data loss from occurring that you can't undo.

Demonstrating Trojan Attacks with Polish Developers

The concept of 'educational' development of threatening software is one with a mixed reception for PC users. While these demonstrative programs often help various security organizations improve their heuristic detection rates and find other ways of combating encryption-based threats, they also are sometimes resources for con artists to exploit. Even when they aren't in live distribution for harmful purposes, like the ClicoCrypter Ransomware, malware analysts find them worth noting for potential future issues.

The ClicoCrypter Ransomware is a product of the Polish PC security company of Clico and isn't for public distribution or intended for attacking regular users. The Trojan does, however, demonstrate the effectiveness of the AES and RSA encryptions by searching the infected PC for formats of media to encrypt and block (such as DOC or JPG), similarly to threats like Hidden Tear and EDA2. Victims shouldn't determine the identity of the infection by this symptom, alone, which the Trojan also shares with separate threats, like AutoEncryptor Ransomware.

The ClicoCrypter Ransomware also provides a second identifier: an unusual ransom note that it loads through an INFO format-based pop-up. The decryption instructions are in Polish but also are irrelevant, and contain farcical recommendations such as yelling at the monitor physically. Since Clico doesn't intend to distribute the Trojan into the wild, there is no decryption solution associated with the ClicoCrypter Ransomware.

Keeping a Demo from Getting Too Real

The ClicoCrypter Ransomware is compatible with any PC that supports its version of Java theoretically. While initial detection rates from major AV vendors were extremely poor, extended analysis has resulted in database improvements that should let more security products identify this threat accurately. Users should be cautious about running the ClicoCrypter Ransomware in a regular environment, since, even though the Trojan has a benevolent development justification, it does demonstrate a fully-working encryption feature.

Threat actors sometimes gain access to a source code that allows them to hijack normally-benign projects like the ClicoCrypter Ransomware, with the Turkish Hidden Tear and EDA2 programs being two of the most notable examples. Steps for eliminating any potential for data loss through these attacks rely on having backups that Trojans can't delete locally, or the user could block the infection at the outset. Anti-malware programs scanning suspicious files, such as e-mail attachments, and monitoring your Web-browsing activity have the best chances of detecting and deleting the ClicoCrypter Ransomware.

Malware analysts haven't found any evidence of the ClicoCrypter Ransomware in the wild or otherwise exploited by third parties. Clico can only be hoped to guard its source code well to prevent this Trojan from becoming a new Hidden Tear.

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