‘.zzz File Extension’ Ransomware

Posted: January 21, 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:	91

First Seen:	January 21, 2016
OS(es) Affected:	Windows

The '.zzz File Extension' Ransomware is a threatening software that isolates your files according to their formats, encrypts them, and delivers a ransom message for how to 'save' the affected data. Following through on ransom demands may not salvage any encrypted files, and malware experts recommend using conventional backup strategies preferentially, instead of paying the '.zzz File Extension' Ransomware's authors. Anti-malware tools can delete the '.zzz File Extension' Ransomware most easily, which has a high chance of using semi-random names for some of its components.

A Ransomware Update Worth Losing Sleep Over

Although updating the definitions of threatening software is an inherent part of the PC security industry, threat authors also can be equally productive. In many cases, such as with the TeslaCrypt, the existence of a broad template lets con artists create a substantial range of variants in a short time frame. From the TeslaCrypt Ransomware, malware experts have seen new, recent clones, including the '.ezz File Extension' Ransomware, the '.exx File Extension' Ransomware, '.ecc File Extension' Ransomware, and, of course, the '.zzz File Extension' Ransomware. Externally, these threats can be distinguished by the different extensions of the files affected by their attacks.

The '.zzz File Extension' Ransomware may install itself in any of several ways, but the TeslaCrypt Ransomware project has strong ties to targeting PC gamers and, correspondingly, circulating via gaming-related illicit downloads (key generators, etc.). The '.zzz File Extension' Ransomware's installation is followed by the Trojan scanning for non-essential data formats, such as MP4s, JPGs or DOCs. Any files fitting under these formats are encrypted.

Affected files can't be opened or read without a decryption routine, which the '.zzz File Extension' Ransomware's admins attempt to sell through a BitCoin-based ransom process. The '.zzz File Extension' Ransomware may deliver the demand in text messages placed in the same folders as any encrypted files locked onto your desktop background, or launched via browser pop-ups. Some third parties are developing decryption tools that could reverse these attacks for most variants of the TeslaCrypt Ransomware although no application specific to the '.zzz File Extension' Ransomware has been released. Malware experts have verified recent upgrades of these threats including defenses against old decryption tools.

Turning the '.zzz File Extension' Ransomware into a Snore of a Trojan

For all the updates made with an interest in forcing victims to pay for their files back, the '.zzz File Extension' Ransomware does have critical weaknesses that are nearly universal among file encryption Trojans. Backups left disconnected from your PC can be used to restore all encrypted files, along with cloud server accounts that are inaccessible to the '.zzz File Extension' Ransomware. However, PC users shouldn't limit themselves to local backups, and, in particular, default Windows backup features, which are targets of deletion by the '.zzz File Extension' Ransomware and other TeslaCrypt Ransomware variants.

The '.zzz File Extension' Ransomware can leave its files in non-standard locations, use random names that obfuscate its identity, and modify the system's Registry harmfully. Even PC users with experience in the anti-malware industry should use dedicated security tools for deleting the '.zzz File Extension' Ransomware. Likewise, scanning potential carriers of the '.zzz File Extension' Ransomware, such as downloads from less than reputable sources, can prevent a file 'hostage scenario' crisis before it starts.

‘.zzz File Extension’ Ransomware

Threat Metric

A Ransomware Update Worth Losing Sleep Over

Turning the '.zzz File Extension' Ransomware into a Snore of a Trojan

Leave a Reply