CrypVault

Posted: April 8, 2015

Threat Metric

The Threat Meter is a malware assessment that SpywareRemove.com's research team is able to give every identifiable malware threat. Our Threat Meter includes several criteria based off of specific malware threats to value their severity, reach and volume. The Threat Meter is able to give you a numerical breakdown of each threat's initial Threat Level, Detection Count, Volume Count, Trend Path and Percentage Impact. The overall ranking of each threat in the Threat Meter is a basic breakdown of how all threats are ranked within our own extensive malware database. The scoring for each specific malware threat can be easily compared to other emerging threats to draw a contrast in its particular severity. The Threat Meter is a useful tool in the endeavor of seeking a solution to remove a threat or pursue additional analytical research for all types of computer users.

The following fields listed on the Threat Meter containing a specific value, are explained in detail below:

Threat Level: The threat level scale goes from 1 to 10 where 10 is the highest level of severity and 1 is the lowest level of severity. Each specific level is relative to the threat's consistent assessed behaviors collected from SpyHunter's risk assessment model.

Detection Count: The collective number of confirmed and suspected cases of a particular malware threat. The detection count is calculated from infected PCs retrieved from diagnostic and scan log reports generated by SpyHunter.

Volume Count: Similar to the detection count, the Volume Count is specifically based on the number of confirmed and suspected threats infecting systems on a daily basis. High volume counts usually represent a popular threat but may or may not have infected a large number of systems. High detection count threats could lay dormant and have a low volume count. Criteria for Volume Count is relative to a daily detection count.

Trend Path: The Trend Path, utilizing an up arrow, down arrow or equal symbol, represents the level of recent movement of a particular threat. Up arrows represent an increase, down arrows represent a decline and the equal symbol represent no change to a threat's recent movement.

% Impact (Last 7 Days): This demonstrates a 7-day period change in the frequency of a malware threat infecting PCs. The percentage impact correlates directly to the current Trend Path to determine a rise or decline in the percentage.

Threat Level:	10/10
Infected PCs:	35

First Seen:	April 8, 2015
OS(es) Affected:	Windows

CrypVault is a file encrypting Trojan that also incorporates spyware add-ons capable of collecting information, such as your account login. While CrypVault has seen the greatest rates of distribution in Russia and neighboring countries, CrypVault also has begun to be seen in meaningful numbers elsewhere, including North America. During its attacks, CrypVault portrays itself as a legitimate PC security tool for recovering locked files. However, malware researchers see no advantages in victims paying its ransom and recommend responding to CrypVault as threatening software, with appropriate security tools.

The Vault where Your Files go to Die

CrypVault distributes itself through disguised e-mail attachments, with the attached file using threatening, hidden JavaScript content to trigger its Trojan dropper. The primary threat installed, CrypVault (or BAT_CRYPVAULT.A), conceals the bulk of its files in the user's temporary files folder. Although CrypVault avoids files with specific text labels, such as 'games' or 'adobe', CrypVault encrypts most other files on a list of given types. Formats preferred by CrypVault for encryption include DOC, XLS, JPG, and ZIP. Encrypted files acquire a .vault name extension, implying that the data in question has been compromised and, thus, quarantined for your protection. File icons also are changed.

PC users trying to access their encrypted files will experience a pop-up warning, which claims that CrypVault has placed them in a 'vault' unlocked via a unique key. This key supposedly is accessible from an address navigated from within the Tor Browser. The Tor Browser, also used by other threats like Critoni and OnionDuke, provides theoretically anonymous Web-surfing, which hackers prefer for illicit cash transactions. A second pop-up image and text notification will automatically load when Windows starts, along with the rest of CrypVault.

Protecting Your PC's Data from a Self-Destructive Quarantine

CrypVault should clearly be distinguishable as being threatening software, rather than a legitimate security application, despite its use of file protection terminology similar to those of real anti-malware products. Purchasing the key for unlocking your files does not necessarily provide any way of restoring your encrypted information. However, malware experts also found that CrypVault uses a third-party utility, SDelete, to block other attempts at file recovery. In such cases, keeping additional, remote file backups on uninfected drives, such as a USB device, is a practical way of protecting your PC's contents cheaply.

As a secondary warning, malware experts also have associated CrypVault with some spyware attacks related to collecting browser passwords. This attack uses yet another third-party app, which, like SDelete, is not threatening. PC users recovering from CrypVault infections should strongly consider making appropriate changes to all important passwords used for their online accounts.

CrypVault may be a Trojan with multiple capabilities, but also is a relatively primitive one. Its use of batch scripts in lieu of 'real' programming language makes its functionality limited, but also easy to develop and apply to future campaigns. Finally, while competent anti-malware products should have no issues with detecting and removing CrypVault, you also may need to take extra steps for deleting its secondary, non-threatening applications.

CrypVault

Threat Metric

The Vault where Your Files go to Die

Protecting Your PC's Data from a Self-Destructive Quarantine

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