'M4N1F3STO Virus' Lockscreen

Posted: December 12, 2016

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:	8/10
Infected PCs:	23

First Seen:	December 12, 2016
Last Seen:	May 5, 2022
OS(es) Affected:	Windows

The 'M4N1F3STO Virus' Lockscreen is a Trojan that threatens to block your files by encrypting them and, afterward, deleting them exponentially. Malware experts are finding no such attack features in samples of the 'M4N1F3STO Virus' Lockscreen, making its threats highly likely as being empty bluffs. In all cases of a confirmed infection, take appropriate steps for disabling and removing the 'M4N1F3STO Virus' Lockscreen as per this article's recommendations without paying the ransom.

A Manifesto Based on Lies

With numerous free and paid resources for con artists to clone file-encrypting Trojans of their very own, it can be easy to forget that not all threat actors have any interest in backing up their threats with action. The 'M4N1F3STO Virus' Lockscreen is one threat malware experts recently found in the wild that deliver some of the most recognizable symptoms of the Jigsaw Ransomware. However, the rest of its payload contains none of the meaningful attack features it claims to possess.

Although its distribution exploits are unknown, the 'M4N1F3STO Virus' Lockscreen uses techniques and cash demands typical of threat actors not targeting business or government sectors. The 'M4N1F3STO Virus' Lockscreen attacks are more likely being distributed with exploits viable against casual PC users, such as bundling itself with freeware or disguising its installer as an illegal download (such as a crack for a gaming product). When the user launches it, the 'M4N1F3STO Virus' Lockscreen creates a full-screen pop-up attack.

The 'M4N1F3STO Virus' Lockscreen's pop-up locks the screen with a Web page-based message claiming that the contents of your computer are under an encryption enciphering and, will be deleted periodically. It also includes a Bitcoin-based payment mechanism for unlocking the machine. Superficially, the 'M4N1F3STO Virus' Lockscreen resembles the attacks of most file-encrypting Trojans, but malware experts see no evidence of real file-deleting or encrypting functions in its code.

Inoculating Yourself Against a Common Virus

The 'M4N1F3STO Virus' Lockscreen is neither a real virus (since it doesn't inject its code into other files), nor is it a file-encryption Trojan. Primary security risks from the 'M4N1F3STO Virus' Lockscreen infections include being unable to access the Windows UI, in addition to being misled into giving the Bitcoin currency to con artists potentially.

Most file-encrypting Trojans come with certain safeguards in mind, such as a customized decryption key that's specialized to each victim. Malware experts note a lack of such protections with the 'M4N1F3STO Virus' Lockscreen, which is using a hard-coded unlocking password ('suckmydicknigga') for all installations. Even if the Trojan receives updates that change its password, you can remove the 'M4N1F3STO Virus' Lockscreen by rebooting into Safe Mode and launching an anti-malware scan.

The less than honest but arguably time-efficient approach of the 'M4N1F3STO Virus' Lockscreen's tactic raises the point that the victim of a threat attack always must question the authenticity of a Trojan's claims. Although the 'M4N1F3STO Virus' Lockscreen tries to ride the same wave of illicit profit-seeking prominence as the Jigsaw Ransomware and its relatives, malware experts rate it as a low-level threat with limited security risks for any protected PC user.

'M4N1F3STO Virus' Lockscreen

Threat Metric

A Manifesto Based on Lies

Inoculating Yourself Against a Common Virus

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