Zepto Ransomware

Posted: June 29, 2016

Threat Metric

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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.

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% 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:	73

First Seen:	June 29, 2016
Last Seen:	June 15, 2021
OS(es) Affected:	Windows

The Zepto Ransomware is a fork of the '.locky File Extension' Ransomware. Both of these threats are threatening file encryptors that sell decryption services paired with their encryption methods. Handling such threats preemptively with backups can keep your information from coming to any harm, while your anti-malware programs should be able to remove the Zepto Ransomware or identify its delivery vehicles, such as other Trojans.

The Trojan that Makes It Hard to Find What You Already Own

Ransoming digital data illegally may be about pressuring the PC users psychologically as much as it is about using sophisticated encoding algorithms. Although a majority of file encryption Trojans uses renaming methods that help victims identify the effects of the infection readily, others, like the Zepto Ransomware, take a harsher route. The Zepto Ransomware uses a unique renaming convention that may impede being able to identify the original contents of your files but makes it clear that an encryption-based attack has taken place.

As a new heir to the '.locky File Extension' Ransomware, the Zepto Ransomware is most likely sharing its infection vectors, which specialize in using crafted e-mail messages distributing threat installers via attachments. After being installed through the launched document or otherwise misrepresented file, the Zepto Ransomware scans your computer and encrypts data according to types specified by its author. No visible symptoms accompany the encryption process while it occurs.

Many Trojans similar to the Zepto Ransomware may rename the extensions of each piece of data or even the names of the directories that hold such information. Malware researchers find the Zepto Ransomware using a much more individualized renaming scheme that includes both a serial number for the infection and an additional code that's unique to each file. Finally, it appends a '.the Zepto' extension. The Trojan entirely overwrites the original contents of the names.

More File Terrorism for a Trifling Bitcoin Profit

The launch date for the Zepto Ransomware's campaign seems to date to late June of this year, although its ancestor, the '.locky File Extension' Ransomware, has been around for some months longer than that. Despite being a 'brand-new' threat, the Zepto Ransomware generates very traditional ransom messages that redirect all victims to a TOR anonymity browser-obfuscated Web page for taking payments. These transactions, most often conducted through potentially unsafe methods like Bitcoin, don't always provide the promised, working data retrieval feature, and malware experts observe decryptors failing entirely occasionally.

The misleading-endorsed methods of recovering from the Zepto Ransomware attacks may offer little hope, but even the most cursory of precautions can put your PC's information out of sight of this threat. PC owners making routine use of the remote backup technology, either via network servers or physical devices, can recover from the Zepto Ransomware attacks easily, and delete the original, damaged content. Publicly available decryptors for the Zepto Ransomware and other members of its family still are a subject of research in the PC security sector.

Equally viable is identifying the Zepto Ransomware or the Trojan installer of it before the threat can complete its payload. E-mail spam is the top distribution method, not only for the Zepto Ransomware but a clear majority of data encrypting Trojans. The value in responding to e-mail queries promptly always should weigh itself against the possible need to remove the Zepto Ransomware or other business sector-targeting threats from your system.

Use SpyHunter to Detect and Remove PC Threats

If you are concerned that malware or PC threats similar to Zepto Ransomware may have infected your computer, we recommend you start an in-depth system scan with SpyHunter. SpyHunter is an advanced malware protection and remediation application that offers subscribers a comprehensive method for protecting PCs from malware, in addition to providing one-on-one technical support service.

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Why can't I open any program including SpyHunter? You may have a malware file running in memory that kills any programs that you try to launch on your PC. Tip: Download SpyHunter from a clean computer, copy it to a USB thumb drive, DVD or CD, then install it on the infected PC and run SpyHunter's malware scanner.

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:

file.exe

File name: file.exe
Size: 241.66 KB (241664 bytes)
MD5: 65b84d4e47406489c3ad7e48defa09e8
Detection count: 71
File type: Executable File
Mime Type: unknown/exe
Group: Malware file
Last Updated: September 1, 2016

clout.exe

File name: clout.exe
Size: 165.88 KB (165888 bytes)
MD5: 31e125faf22ae2ab6c91ece657808c60
Detection count: 28
File type: Executable File
Mime Type: unknown/exe
Group: Malware file
Last Updated: July 11, 2016

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