Maktub Ransomware

Posted: March 23, 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:	10/10
Infected PCs:	89

First Seen:	March 22, 2016
OS(es) Affected:	Windows

The Maktub Ransomware is a file encryption Trojan that holds your personal and work-related data hostage. Although the Maktub Ransomware uses pop-ups and other messages to communicate the supposed urgency of paying its ransom quickly, its perpetrators may not restore your files even after receiving their payment. Due to this risk, malware experts recommend other methods of limiting the Maktub Ransomware's potential damages, while you can rely upon your anti-malware products for identifying and removing the Maktub Ransomware from any PC.

When Your Files Walk Away from Their Names Automatically

The dominating influences of CryptoLocker and other file encoder-based Trojans have led to a vast array of file-ransoming campaigns. While the threat responsible for the main attacks in such campaigns may not be 'always on' or generate files or processes that are easily spotted, they may include characteristics that are simple to see. The Maktub Ransomware shows some of the most blatant of these symptoms off, with multiple ransom messages and a high-visibility file name swap.

The Maktub Ransomware may arrive through e-mail spam or targeted e-mail attacks, which may conceal Trojan installers inside of attached PDFs or archives. After being deposited on your hard drive, the Maktub Ransomware scans for files suitable for ransoming, with a notable emphasis on documents (such as TXT or DOC). The Maktub Ransomware encrypts these files by changing their internal data structures according to a hidden algorithm.

Besides the encryption, which makes the files unopenable, the Maktub Ransomware also adds a semi-random extension to each file name, such as .IAALIXR. Victims shouldn't confuse these file name changes with file conversions; any resemblance between the Maktub Ransomware's new extensions and any widely-used formats are entirely coincidental.

However, malware experts have taken note of the Maktub Ransomware's following ransom message as its most identifiable symptom. These messages launch themselves through pop-ups that are set to remain in your desktop foreground, thereby blocking other windows. It includes many of the usual file encryption campaign-based threats, such as a timer before your decryption key is deleted, a ransom method based on TOR's anonymous Web browser, and an easy clipboard interface that streamlines the victim's interactivity partially.

An Affordable Way out of a File Ransomer's Campaign

Along with pop-ups that would be impossible not to see, the Maktub Ransomware also drops redundant copies of its ransom instructions on the victim's hard drive, in multiple formats. The emphasis the Maktub Ransomware places on making sure its demands are read and responded to within a limited time frame show how con artists require panic-driven responses from many victims to have any hopes of making a significant profit. PC owners less prone to panic may note several ways of avoiding any permanent damage from experiencing the Maktub Ransomware (or other file encryptors) attacking their information.

Although renaming your files has no effect on the encryption that's responsible for them being unopenable, cloud and mobile device-based backups can overwrite your encrypted files safely. Some PC security companies also release decryptors that can provide the same services that the Maktub Ransomware's con artists supposedly offer, but without an attached price. Since these decryptors are limited to each major family of file-encrypting threat, recent threats like the Maktub Ransomware may require time before the decryption tools become available. You can assist software developers by providing the Maktub Ransomware samples for analysis to reputable security institutions.

You always should disinfect a compromised PC before enacting plans for reversing damages from any Trojan attacks. Remove the Maktub Ransomware with an anti-malware program of your brand preference before taking any actions towards restoring backups or decrypting your files. Since malware experts have noted the Maktub Ransomware's campaign only since March, outdated security solutions may have issues with detecting the Maktub Ransomware, although most major PC security brands have shown good detection rates, so far.

Technical Details

File System Modifications

Tutorials: If you wish to learn how to remove malware components manually, you can read the tutorials on how to find malware, kill unwanted processes, remove malicious DLLs and delete other harmful files. Always be sure to back up your PC before making any changes.

The following files were created in the system:

%TEMP%\Rar$DIa0.451\TOS-update-2016-Marth-18.scr

File name: TOS-update-2016-Marth-18.scr
Size: 235 KB (235008 bytes)
MD5: 74add6536cdcfb8b77d10a1e7be6b9ef
Detection count: 68
Mime Type: unknown/scr
Path: %TEMP%\Rar$DIa0.451
Group: Malware file
Last Updated: March 22, 2016