Rewterz Threat Alert – Chaos Ransomware – Active IOCs

Severity

High

Analysis Summary

Chaos is a customizable ransomware builder that emerged on June 9 2021 (in underground forums) by falsely marketing itself as the .NET version of Ryuk despite sharing no such overlaps with the notorious counterpart. Since then, it has undergone active development and quick advancements, which have persuaded several attacker groups to adopt it. The most recent version, known as Yashma, was observed in the wild in May 2022. Yashma allows attackers to configure the ransomware so that it does not execute dependent on the language chosen on the victim’s device. It can also disable antivirus software, backup services, storage services, remote desktop services, and credential vault services on victims’ machines. Malware developers frequently employ this strategy to avoid infecting computers in their own region, which would draw the attention of local law authorities. The Chaos ransomware generator is said to still lack some of the capabilities that are seen in many existing ransomware families.

Chaos Ransomware is a serious threat to individuals and organizations, as it can result in the loss of valuable data and disruption to normal business operations. To protect against Chaos Ransomware and other similar threats, it is recommended that individuals and organizations implement a robust cybersecurity program, including regular software updates, anti-malware protection, and employee training on the dangers of phishing and social engineering.

Impact

• File Encryption

Indicators of Compromise

MD5

• bbe2e0f186145fe66bf06909cfaf03a7
• 6f604aeb2e1692200e0079e2c66e3142
• 4c19104c6df0817095be0846b1607de6

SHA-256

• 2fcee69a2cce325c17a9cd127f1dd99c53f2034c48fffe3cf8e770eea356ae11
• c797991107d261423bebab5f3cd3b44b5a63e3925baaf53ed8b0ba77f5c7fb7b
• 3998d0e987accc2837c6bf87fdb2796d0170ae2a79383b78fd778531410e337f

SHA-1

• 19c9425cf3c6d5a53281b9544eaf6d1eff179767
• abb3c0372f463b2e6e33a2465ca52c93e43f69a7
• ae3bf7a043cb10e8b206261af6af1558fc3d518b

Remediation

• Block all threat indicators at your respective controls.
• Search for Indicators of compromise (IOCs) in your environment utilizing your respective security controls
• Maintain cyber hygiene by updating your anti-virus software and implementing a patch management lifecycle.
• Maintain Offline Backups – In a ransomware attack, the adversary will often delete or encrypt backups if they have access to them. That’s why it’s important to keep offline (preferably off-site), encrypted backups of data and test them regularly.
• Emails from unknown senders should always be treated with caution.
• Never trust or open ” links and attachments received from unknown sources/senders