Although most people focused their attention on the Wanna Decryptor ransomware attack last week, there are quite a few other malware strains one should be concerned about. Researchers came across quite a few new types of ransomware, including Crypto-Blocker. Thankfully, this malware is not much of a threat, and was decrypted rather quickly without paying any money.
Crypto-Blocker Ransomware Is a Mockery
In some cases, it’s good to see a new type of ransomware appear which doesn’t pose much of a threat. We have seen dozens of malware types successfully wreaking havoc on computers around the world, yet it doesn’t appear Crypto-Blocker will be among them. In fact, it is a clear example of how ransom-as-a-service can create some very lackluster malware types.
Once you look at the Crypto-Blocker ransom screen, it becomes apparent the developer puts very little effort into creating this malware. To be more specific, it is presented in the form of a popup, which looks anything but intimidating. Part of the success of ransomware is making victims believe there is no other solution but to pay the ransom. Crypto-Blocker does not instill this “fear’ by any means, as it looks rather childish.
The message distributed by the popup informs the user of how their computer is infected. However, it also mentions how “this program is actually a ransomware.” Not professional by any means, and it seems things only go downhill from there. There is no obvious solution to pay the ransom either, despite the message asking for a US$10 transaction. Or to be more precise, the victim can choose the money type, as long as it is “10 of X currency”. Very strange, to say the least.
Crypto-Blocker also claims victims have five hours to make the payment, albeit there is no timer counting down whatsoever. The popup also includes a textbox where users can type the code to have their files decrypted. This is rather easy to bypass, as entering “01001” in this field will immediately decrypt all files free of charge. Additionally, one can use the StupidDecryptor tool to get rid of this ransomware without paying any money.
It is evident Crypto-Blocker is one of the lamest attempts at creating ransomware to date. It is unclear how the developers expect to receive any payment without leaving any instructions behind. Moreover, the fact it can be decrypted by entering a rather simple code in the textbox only goes to show this is a half-assed attempt at best. On the upside, this means not everyone developing ransomware is a professional, which is positive news.
It appears Crypto-Blocker is distributed through the traditional methods, including email attachments, pirated content downloads, and malware-laden websites. It is unclear what the developers aim to achieve by releasing this project to the world, as no one will even take it seriously whatsoever. If you get infected by this ransomware, use StupidDecryptor or enter code “01001” to decrypt files free of charge.
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