Foxy Ransomware

Posted: November 9, 2017

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:	2/10
Infected PCs:	7

First Seen:	January 25, 2019
Last Seen:	December 3, 2022
OS(es) Affected:	Windows

The Foxy Ransomware is a variant of Hidden Tear, a Trojan that uses encryption to lock different formats of files, such as movies, pictures or documents. This Trojan sometimes circulates as a fake driver update for the Windows operating system and can include other symptoms, such as creating threatening pop-ups. Always have your anti-malware software quarantined safely or delete the Foxy Ransomware before attempting different recovery methods for your media instead of the ransom-based solution that this Trojan endorses.

The Computer Age's Fox in the Henhouse

Efficient profiteering from cybercrooks enterprises often involves collecting resources from every possible aspect of an operation, which reduces the workload and expense for the threat actor. More and more con artists appear to be happy to use preexisting and well-explored threats like Hidden Tear, a Trojan whose source code is thoroughly examined and available, in exchange for not needing to develop any personal software. Minor variations of such threats, like the Hidden Tear-based Foxy Ransomware, still can include disguises and misleading information in their campaigns that can reduce the drawbacks of their semi-stale origins.

Unknown cybercrooks are distributing the Foxy Ransomware as a fake Windows sound driver, which increases the odds that this threat is installing with the help of an exploit kit and corrupted websites. Once past its installing phase, the Foxy Ransomware employs an AES cipher for encoding and blocking different formats of files, which often consist of pictures, documents, spreadsheets, and media associated with Microsoft Office applications. It also adds the '.nightmare' extension to their names, which helps the victim determine what content is captive.

Another misleading aspect of the Foxy Ransomware's payload is its ransom note, which is an HTA pop-up window that imitates the Jigsaw Ransomware family. The latter collection of Trojans is notorious for deleting files based on a timer, which this Trojan also imitates, although malware experts can't confirm any present data-erasing feature in the Foxy Ransomware. Also included in the window is a default decryption feature for unlocking your files, although the threat actor demands that the user pays a ransom beforehand providing the key.

Outfoxing the Latest Trojan Opportunist

Both the Foxy Ransomware's installation tactic and the attacks it conducts afterward include a degree of fake information that's meant to force users into compromising their PCs and, then, paying for the privilege of resolving the infection's attacks. However, most versions of Hidden Tear can have their locked files restored by free software available within the PC security industry, and paying a cybercrook's ransom never guarantees that you'll purchase a working decryption application. Most users also should consider backing up their valuable documents and other media to secondary devices, which eliminates the Foxy Ransomware's bargaining position automatically without requiring a solution to its cipher.

Having anti-malware protection that covers Web-browsing exploits is equally essential for blocking drive-by-download attacks, which may occur on either deliberately corrupted websites or ordinary ones that cybercrooks are compromising (for example, by loading exploits into an advertising network). Web surfers should be especially careful of where they choose to enable JavaScript, Java, and Flash, which are all known for being abused to facilitate Trojan campaigns. Anti-malware products also may delete the Foxy Ransomware and other members of the Hidden Tear family with little difficulty.

By including deceptive practices in both ends of its operation, the Foxy Ransomware makes the most out of a few minutes' effort from a threat actor trying to extort money through damaging files. On the other hand, most users can protect themselves easily with an equivalent investment in some security products and common-sense browsing practices.

Technical Details

Additional Information

The following URL's were detected:

news-cezimu.cc