Kr Ransomware

The Kr Ransomware is a file-locking Trojan from the family of the Crysis Ransomware or the Dharma Ransomware. Attacks by this threat will keep your files from opening by encrypting them and include attempts at ransoming the unlocking service. Having secured backups is an ideal defense for any data, and most anti-malware programs can remove the Kr Ransomware from Windows computers accurately and safely.

More Victims Served by the Ransomware-as-a-Service

Criminals retain their enthusiasm for RaaS families as an 'easy' way of making illicit money without much effort or any programming talent. The ongoing growth of the Dharma Ransomware, AKA Crysis Ransomware, one of the largest families at the forefront of this illicit business sector, demonstrates that the 'business model' is, at least, carrying the perception of profitability. The Kr Ransomware is the next flag-bearer for this practice of imprisoning files and selling their freedom to the owners.

The Kr Ransomware comes shortly after the similarly-new Nvram Ransomware and the Rsa Ransomware. However, it has few differences to show for the time gap between it and older models like the KARLS Ransomware and the 2018's Sepsis Ransomware. It has no new obfuscation, and most AV vendors are identifying it as a member of its family or a generic, file-locking Trojan. Its installation exploits could circumvent this impediment by using manual infections against poorly-configured Web servers or networks, or by circulating through torrents (a tactic most popular with its competitor, the STOP Ransomware).

Although the Kr Ransomware includes other features, most importantly, the ability to delete backups through shell commands, its most crucial one is its encryption. This AES and RSA encryption combination will 'lock' files, such as documents or image galleries, while the Kr Ransomware also adds ransoming information and its 'kr' string to their extensions. Ransom notes also are traditional for this, and other, families of Trojans, although malware experts emphasize that the service's sincerity is unreliable as often as otherwise.

Opting Out of an Impoverishing Service

Although there are particularly colorful incidents of the Kr Ransomware's family exploiting e-mail spam with themes as intricate as fake anti-virus software, most variants of the Dharma Ransomware use relatively simple infection strategies. Malware experts see occasional use of Exploit Kits – which can abuse Flash, JavaScript, and other vulnerabilities in your browser – for targeting users with outdated software or unsafe settings. Other attacks may misuse macros embedded inside of corrupted, disguised documents, or deposit the Kr Ransomware directly after brute-forcing a network's login credentials.

Besides minding one's software versions and settings, all users should be cautious about what they download and use strong passwords for preventing attacks of opportunity from achieving their goals. File-locking Trojans like the Kr Ransomware can cause widespread and network-traversing damage to digital media within minutes and don't always have symptoms to the eye. Saving backups to at least a single additional device can help with limiting the Kr Ransomware's potential for data loss significantly. Have your anti-malware product of choice uninstall the Kr Ransomware as appropriate before implementing recovery for any files, since the reverse order runs the risk of the Trojan encrypting the content all over again.

As the Kr Ransomware shows, the Dharma Ransomware remains up and running, and the people leaving themselves open to attacks are part of the blame for that fact. With ransoms starting at hundreds of dollars and getting worse from there, it's hard to form a coherent argument against good backup practices.