*.parrot

[Content by Gemini 2.5]

The *.parrot file extension signifies a system infected with a variant of the Dharma ransomware family, also known by its other iterations like Phobos or CrySiS. This particular extension indicates a specific campaign or version employed by the threat actors behind Dharma. Understanding its characteristics is crucial for effective prevention, removal, and recovery.

Technical Breakdown:

1. File Extension & Renaming Patterns

  • Confirmation of File Extension: Files encrypted by this ransomware will have the .parrot extension appended to their original filenames.
  • Renaming Convention: The typical renaming pattern for *.parrot ransomware, consistent with Dharma variants, is as follows:
    original_filename.id-[victim_ID].[email_address].parrot
    For example, a file named document.docx might become document.docx.id-A1B2C3D4.[[email protected]].parrot.
    The [victim_ID] is a unique alphanumeric string generated for each victim, and [email_address] is the contact email provided by the attackers for ransom negotiations. The specific email address can vary widely between campaigns (e.g., [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], etc.).

2. Detection & Outbreak Timeline

  • Approximate Start Date/Period: The Dharma ransomware family has been active since late 2016/early 2017, evolving constantly with new extensions and slight modifications to its code. The *.parrot extension specifically emerged as a notable variant sometime in late 2021 or early 2022, and has continued to be observed in campaigns through 2023 and into 2024. While not a brand-new ransomware family, *.parrot represents a more recent iteration of this persistent threat.

3. Primary Attack Vectors

*.parrot (Dharma ransomware) primarily leverages the following propagation mechanisms:

  • Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) Exploitation: This is the most common and successful method. Attackers gain unauthorized access by:
    • Brute-forcing weak or common RDP credentials.
    • Exploiting vulnerabilities in RDP or associated services.
    • Purchasing stolen RDP credentials on dark web marketplaces.
      Once RDP access is gained, the attackers manually deploy the ransomware and execute it.
  • Phishing Campaigns: Malicious emails containing:
    • Infected attachments (e.g., weaponized documents, executables disguised as legitimate files).
    • Malicious links that lead to drive-by downloads or credential harvesting sites.
      These campaigns often target specific organizations or individuals.
  • Software Vulnerabilities: While less common than RDP, Dharma variants can exploit known software vulnerabilities in unpatched systems or applications to gain initial access or escalate privileges. This can include vulnerabilities in:
    • Public-facing servers (e.g., unpatched web servers, VPNs).
    • Third-party software used within an organization.
  • Supply Chain Attacks: In some sophisticated cases, ransomware can be introduced through compromise of a trusted third-party vendor’s software or systems, which then propagate the malware to their clients.
  • Malvertising/Compromised Websites: Users visiting compromised websites or clicking malicious advertisements can inadvertently trigger downloads of the ransomware.

Remediation & Recovery Strategies:

1. Prevention

Proactive measures are your best defense against *.parrot and similar ransomware:

  • Robust Backup Strategy: Implement a 3-2-1 backup rule (3 copies of data, 2 different media types, 1 offsite/offline copy). Regularly test backups for integrity and restorability. Ensure backups are air-gapped or immutable.
  • Secure RDP Access:
    • Use strong, unique passwords for all RDP accounts.
    • Implement Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for RDP access.
    • Limit RDP access to specific IP addresses via firewall rules.
    • Place RDP behind a VPN.
    • Monitor RDP logs for unusual activity or failed login attempts.
    • Consider disabling RDP if not strictly necessary.
  • Regular Software Updates & Patch Management: Promptly apply security patches and updates for operating systems, applications, and network devices to close known vulnerabilities.
  • Strong Email Security: Employ advanced email filters, anti-phishing solutions, and user training to identify and report suspicious emails.
  • Network Segmentation: Divide your network into isolated segments to limit the lateral movement of ransomware if one segment is compromised.
  • Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) / Antivirus (AV): Deploy modern EDR solutions with behavioral analysis capabilities that can detect and block ransomware activity. Keep definitions updated.
  • User Awareness Training: Educate employees about phishing, social engineering, and safe browsing practices.
  • Principle of Least Privilege: Grant users and applications only the minimum necessary permissions to perform their tasks.
  • Disable Unnecessary Services: Turn off any services or protocols that are not essential, especially SMBv1.

2. Removal

If your system is infected with *.parrot ransomware, follow these steps for cleanup:

  1. Isolate the Infected System: Immediately disconnect the infected computer from the network (unplug Ethernet cable, disable Wi-Fi). This prevents the ransomware from spreading to other systems.
  2. Identify and Contain: Determine how many systems are affected. If it’s a network-wide infection, isolate all potentially affected devices.
  3. Prevent Persistence: Check for any scheduled tasks, registry entries, or startup items that the ransomware might have created for persistence. These should be removed. Dharma variants often modify the HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run registry key.
  4. Scan and Remove:
    • Boot the infected system into Safe Mode with Networking (if you need to download tools).
    • Run a full scan with a reputable, up-to-date antivirus or anti-malware solution. Many security vendors (e.g., Malwarebytes, ESET, Sophos, Microsoft Defender) have robust capabilities to detect and remove Dharma.
    • Consider using specialized ransomware removal tools if available, though these usually focus on the payload removal rather than decryption.
  5. Patch and Secure: After removal, identify the initial point of entry (e.g., unpatched RDP, exploited vulnerability) and patch it immediately. Change all compromised passwords, especially for RDP and administrative accounts.

3. File Decryption & Recovery

  • Recovery Feasibility: For most recent *.parrot (Dharma) variants, there is currently no universal, free decryption tool available. The ransomware uses strong encryption algorithms (e.g., RSA-2048 or AES-256), and decrypting files without the attackers’ private key is computationally infeasible.
    • Paying the Ransom: Paying the ransom is generally discouraged by law enforcement as it funds criminal activity and provides no guarantee of decryption. While some victims have received keys after payment, others have not, or the provided decryptor was faulty.
  • Recovery Methods:
    1. Restore from Backups (Preferred): This is the most reliable method. If you have clean, unencrypted backups from before the infection, restore your data from them. Ensure the ransomware payload is fully removed before restoring.
    2. Shadow Volume Copies (VSS): Dharma variants often attempt to delete Shadow Volume Copies (VSS) using commands like vssadmin delete shadows /all /quiet. However, sometimes they fail, or older copies might survive. You can try using tools like ShadowExplorer or native Windows features to recover previous versions of files. This is a long shot but worth attempting.
    3. Data Recovery Software: In rare cases, if the ransomware only encrypted file headers or created new encrypted files while leaving original data in unallocated space, data recovery software might retrieve some fragments. This is highly unlikely for Dharma.
  • Essential Tools/Patches:
    • Antivirus/EDR solutions: For detection and removal (e.g., Windows Defender, Sophos Intercept X, CrowdStrike Falcon, SentinelOne).
    • Patch Management Tools: To ensure timely updates of OS and applications.
    • Firewall: For network segmentation and blocking unwanted RDP/SMB traffic.
    • Backup Solutions: Both local and cloud-based.
    • Network Monitoring Tools: To detect unusual traffic patterns or brute-force attempts.

4. Other Critical Information

  • Additional Precautions (Unique Characteristics):
    • Manual Deployment: Unlike some worms, Dharma variants are often deployed manually after initial access is gained (typically via RDP), indicating a more targeted approach to resource-rich environments.
    • Ransom Notes: *.parrot (Dharma) typically drops ransom notes in various locations (e.g., desktop, encrypted folders). Common filenames include info.txt, files.txt, README.txt, or RETURN FILES.txt. These notes contain instructions, the attackers’ contact email, and sometimes a unique victim ID.
    • Information Gathering: Attackers often spend time within the compromised network to enumerate systems, identify valuable data, and prepare for widespread encryption.
    • Disabling Security Tools: The ransomware may attempt to disable security software or Windows Defender to hinder detection and removal.
  • Broader Impact:
    • Significant Data Loss: The primary impact is the loss of access to encrypted data, which can be catastrophic for individuals and businesses without robust backups.
    • Operational Disruption: Business operations can grind to a halt, leading to lost productivity, revenue, and customer trust.
    • Financial Costs: Includes the potential cost of paying a ransom (if chosen), costs of incident response, forensic analysis, system remediation, and reputational damage.
    • Potential for Data Exfiltration: While Dharma is primarily an encryption-focused ransomware, sophisticated attackers leveraging RDP access could potentially exfiltrate sensitive data before encryption, adding a data breach component to the incident.
    • Psychological Toll: The stress and anxiety on individuals and IT teams dealing with a ransomware attack can be immense.

By understanding these technical details and implementing robust prevention and recovery strategies, organizations and individuals can significantly reduce their risk and improve their resilience against *.parrot and other Dharma ransomware variants.