California Association of REALTORS® Security Advisory AAMV Ransomware Deep-Dive & Recovery Playbook Technical Breakdown 1. File Extension & Renaming Patterns Confirmation of File Extension (Primary Marker): .aamv Typical Renaming Convention: Example: Budget2024.xlsx → Budget2024.xlsx.aamv No random strings, artwork, or e-mails are inserted in the filename—only the extension is appended once encryption is complete. 2. Detection…

Technical Breakdown 1. File Extension & Renaming Patterns Confirmation of File Extension: .aajf Renaming Convention: OriginalName.aajf – STOP/Djvu keeps the original file name intact and appends the .aajf suffix only once. For example, Report_Q4.xlsx becomes Report_Q4.xlsx.aajf. In addition, a globally identical ransom note named _readme.txt is dropped into every folder that contains encrypted files. 2.…

Technical Breakdown: 1. File Extension & Renaming Patterns Exact file extension: .aabn (including the leading period) Renaming Convention: After encryption, files are renamed into the pattern <original_filename>.<original_extension>.aabn. Example: MonthlyReport.xlsx → MonthlyReport.xlsx.aabn 2. Detection & Outbreak Timeline First public sighting: 24 April 2024 (initial submissions to public malware-tracking feeds) Wider propagation spike: Late May 2024, with…

Technical Breakdown: 1. File Extension & Renaming Patterns Confirmation of File Extension: aaabbbccc Files are given the literal extension .aaabbbccc (leading dot) appended to each original filename. Renaming Convention: <original_full_filename>.<original_ext>.aaabbbccc Example: Annual_Report_2024.xlsx becomes Annual_Report_2024.xlsx.aaabbbccc 2. Detection & Outbreak Timeline Approximate Start Date/Period: First sightings emerged in late-February 2024; wide-scale campaigns noted from mid-March 2024 onward.…

aaa Ransomware: Comprehensive Analysis & Recovery Guide Technical Breakdown 1. File Extension & Renaming Patterns Confirmation of File Extension: Victim files are appended with the .aaa extension (e.g., Report.xlsx.aaa, AutoCAD.dwg.aaa). Renaming Convention: Each affected file is renamed to its original name plus .aaa in an in-place operation—no prefix, suffix, or UID is written by the…

Comprehensive Resource: aa1 Ransomware ⚠️ Quick Reference – Extension / Victim ID Format: .aa1 followed by a 32–37 character hexadecimal Victim ID (e.g., photo.jpg.aa1[[unique-id]]) – Ransom Note Basename: readme.txt (sometimes how_to_back_files.html). – Family Affiliation: Recent variant of the AstroLocker ransomware family (actively maintained as of H2-2023). Technical Breakdown 1. File Extension & Renaming Patterns Extension:…

================================================ RANSOMWARE BRIEF: .a9v9ahu4 Variant Last Updated: 2024-05-15 Technical Breakdown: File Extension & Renaming Patterns • Extension Used: .<machine-ID>_a9v9ahu4 (e.g., fluffy-cat_invoice.xlsx becomes fluffy-cat_invoice.xlsx.8F63B2_a9v9ahu4). • Renaming Convention: – Original file name is left intact, but a new extension {8-HEX}_a9v9ahu4 is appended, where the 8-HEX portion is a truncated CRC32 of the victim’s computer name + volume…

a990 Ransomware – Community Response Guide Last updated: June 2024 Technical Breakdown 1. File Extension & Renaming Patterns Confirmation of File Extension: Files locked by this strain append the .a990 suffix ON TOP of the existing extension Example: Document.docx → Document.docx.a990 Renaming Convention: Original name is never changed—only the final extension is added. Inside each…

Technical Breakdown: 1. File Extension & Renaming Patterns Confirmation of File Extension: [email protected] (yes, the complete email address literally becomes the new suffix appended to every file). Renaming Convention: OriginalFile.Extension.ID-[8-char-hex][email protected] Example: Budget_Q3.xlsx → [email protected] 2. Detection & Outbreak Timeline Approximate Start Date/Period: Earliest network signatures and publicly-submitted ransom notes appeared in mid-January 2020. Widespread English-language…

Technical Breakdown: 1. File Extension & Renaming Patterns Confirmation of File Extension: .a800 Renaming Convention: The ransomware renames files by keeping the original filename and appending “.a800” to the end (e.g., Q4-Report.xlsx becomes Q4-Report.xlsx.a800). No century-stamp or new base-name is added, so victims can still see their file names in full, aiding quick impact assessment.…