Active distribution campaigns are running for the newly created DeathRansom ransomware. Initially, the ransomware failed to properly encrypt victims’ files, but now it’s successfully encrypting files on target systems with a constant surge in its distribution.
When DeathRansom is launched it will attempt to clear shadow volume copies. It will then encrypt all files on the victim’s computer other than those found whose full pathnames contain the following strings:
programdata $recycle.bin program files windows all users appdata read_me.txt autoexec.bat desktop.ini autorun.inf ntuser.dat iconcache.db bootsect.bak boot.ini ntuser.dat.log thumbs.db
This functional variant does not append an extension to the name of encrypted files. The only way to identify that the file is encrypted by DeathRansom is by the ABEFCDAB file marker appended to the end of encrypted files.
In every folder that a file is encrypted, the ransomware will create a ransom note named read_me.txt that contains a unique “LOCK-ID” for the victim and an email address to contact the ransomware developer or affiliate.
One strange thing that was noticed is that numerous victims who have been infected by DeathRansom were also infected by the STOP Ransomware. As STOP is only distributed through adware bundles and cracks, it is possible the DeathRansom may be distributed in a similar manner.