Satan Ransomware

The Satan Ransomware is a Trojan that uses the AES encryption to block your files until you agree to pay a Bitcoin ransom to its administrator. Because the Satan Ransomware's distribution uses a free Ransomware-as-a-Service model, malware experts are unable to predict all of its infection vectors perfectly, although some options, such as Word documents, are on offer by default. Using anti-malware protection for blocking or deleting the Satan Ransomware, and backups to protect your files, remain vital to defending your PC against this type of threat.

Say Hello to the Satan Again

Along with the Satan666 Ransomware and the SATANA Ransomware from 2016, the 2017's Satan Ransomware is joining the small collection of Trojans who brand themselves after inimical religious figures. The Satan Ransomware's authors use an exceptionally open-access model to their campaign, basing their profits off of a percentage of any ransoms collected by third parties. Other con artists can download and deploy the Satan Ransomware for free, although the method of installation onto a victim's PC is left up to them. In exchange, they lose thirty percent of the ransom money from encrypting the victim's files.

The Satan Ransomware is a small, under 200 kilobyte executable. Its threat actor offers some minor, additional support for installing the Satan Ransomware via macros embedded into corrupted Word documents, which are traditional methods of circulating file-encrypting Trojans over e-mails. After launching the document and enabling the macro exploit (supposedly to view the rest of the document's contents), the victims infect their PCs with the Satan Ransomware, which begins encrypting files.

Malware experts estimate that the Satan Ransomware is using an AES algorithm to lock the local files currently, as well as appending an unknown (and possibly configurable) extension to their names. The rest of the Satan Ransomware's payload consists of delivery archetypal ransoming demands that direct the victims through a Tor-based website payment interface, using the Bitcoin cryptocurrency. The payment quantity is modifiable by the third-party con artists, in addition to any possible time limits (such as doubling the ransom after twenty-four hours).

Playing the Exorcist Against the Worst Kind of Freeware

The Satan Ransomware operates on a business model that gives con artists enormous leeway to download, customize and distribute the Trojan as they see fit. Although malware experts often see businesses suffering from file-encrypting campaigns that begin with disguised e-mail attachments, the Satan Ransomware may, just as easily, install itself through other methods, such as drive-by-downloads. Keeping your anti-malware products active and updated at all times, and avoiding needless network or Web-surfing security hazards, can reduce the success rates of most of these exploits.

Without a free decryptor, PC users affected by the Satan Ransomware have the choice of gambling on paying a non-retrievable ransom or losing their data. Secure backups can eliminate this dilemma and give you data recovery strategies that don't require access to a decryption solution, although some anti-malware organizations do offer free decryption assistance on an inconsistent basis. As long as your anti-malware programs are allowed to detect and delete the Satan Ransomware on sight, its removal should occur before it starts locking content.

With moderately poor detection rates by many anti-malware organizations, the Satan Ransomware seems to be succeeding at being a new embodiment of digital evil under a 'freeware' model.

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