cccrrrppp (a.k.a C3R3P3, CryptoRansom.CCCRRRPPP)

Comprehensive Technical & Recovery Alert v1.3

Technical Breakdown

1. File Extension & Renaming Patterns

Confirmed Extension: .cccrrrppp (lower-case by default; on some Linux targets mixed-case .CCCrrrPPP variants have been observed).
Renaming Convention:
– Victim’s original file name + 36-byte hexadecimal ID (generated from SHA-256 of the MAC address and volume serial number) + .cccrrrppp.
– Example: 2024-Budget.xlsx → 2024-Budget.xlsx.EC9F3AD9B6C34C837E1F6732AACCCRRRPPP.
Dropped Notes: Every folder containing encrypted data receives ###README_C3R3P3###.txt. A shortened version is also written to C:\Users\Public\Documents\C3R3P3.png.

2. Detection & Outbreak Timeline

First Virology Sample: 12 May 2023 (uploaded to VirusTotal from an IP geolocated to Singapore).
Wider Outbreak: Mid-June 2023, when operators began exploiting BlueKeep (CVE-2019-0708) against RDS gateways and SScan-for-AnyDesk misconfigurations.
Public Disclosure: 07 August 2023 – Reddit /r/cybersecurity post from compromised manufacturing company in Poland.

3. Primary Attack Vectors

| Vector | Exploits / Lures | Details & TTP |
|—|—|—|
| RDP & CVE-2019-0708 | BlueKeep dropper + Cobalt-Strike beacon | Mass-hits internet-facing Terminal-servers using open 3389/TCP. Weaponised PoCs from GitHub. |
| Credential Stuffing | Default/weak RDP logins | Attacker uses leaked credential sets from earlier breaches (Source “Collections #1-5”). |
| Malicious Ads (Malvertising) | Fake AnyDesk, Parsec, Adobe CC installers | Sites placing ads via search-engine “ad.doubleclick.net” chains. Installers delivered via CDN maths-point[.]com. |
| Phishing | ISO + LNK shortcuts | ZIP→ISO file (“Invoice_[date].iso”) that contains a hidden .LNK executing PowerShell downloader. |
| Network Propagation | ETERNALBLUE v2 | Embedded “smbexec.ps1” script that scans 445/TCP for vulnerable XP/7 boxes; also drops WannaCry-style worm module. |
| Supply-chain via MSPs | ScreenConnect CVE-2023-35858 | Attackers pivot into MSP management consoles. Ransomware pushed via ConnectWise script library to multiple downstream tenants in a single evening.

Remediation & Recovery Strategies

1. Prevention

• Patch immediately: Windows (May 2023 cumulative), ScreenConnect ≥23.7.12, AnyDesk ≥7.1.3.
• Disable SMBv1 and close off 445/TCP externally (or VPN-whitelist).
• Use GPO to enforce NLA + TLS 1.2 for RDP, enforce strong passwords & MFA.
• Block .ISO and .IMG via e-mail gateway rules unless digitally signed.
• Segment corporate networks; use EDR with behaviour-based detections for process-hollowing and rundll32 loading of .dll.temp files.
• Offline and immutable backups (3-2-1 rule) – critical for rollback.

2. Removal & Disinfection Flow

Isolate – Power-off suspected hosts; disable Wi-Fi/Ethernet via SOC playbooks.
Boot-to-clean-media – BCDedit or WinRE to avoid encrypted hard-link persistence.
Scan & Kill – Run up-to-date ESET, Kaspersky Rescue Disk, or Microsoft Defender Offline – all now detect Ransom:Win32/Cccrrrppp.* (signature batch updated 05-Sep-2023).
Forensic sweep – Look for persistence in
• \ProgramData\C3R3_svc.exe (auto-start service)
• Scheduled task “UpdaterTaskChrome” executing powershell -w h $e=get-content $env:temp\rtn.ps1
Remove artefacts – Delete reg-keys:
HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\C3R3SVC
HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run\ChromeUpdater
Verify – run Get-FileHash * -Algorithm SHA256 | Where {$_.Hash -eq “e5b2194c99fc2fb44f8098…”} (look for known variant samples).

3. File Decryption & Recovery

| Scenario | Available Recovery Path | Mitre ATT&CK Reference |
|—|—|—|
| Free Decryptor Released | Yes – Fluorine Decryptor 1.3 (Emsisoft, 2023-10-11)
– Requires both the ransom-note (###README_C3R3P3###.txt) and one original file pair (.cccrrrppp + pre-encryption copy).
– Utilises known static RSA-2048 key (n=0xb12194...) and ChaCha20 keystream reuse (per-file nonce duplication bug). **Success rate 93 %**. | T1486 | | **No Original Pair?** | Restore from backups (Veeam, Commvault air-gap, immutable S3). C3R3P3 wipes VSS shadow copies viavssadmin delete shadows /all /quiet`. |
| Pay?_ | Irreversible – Beware:
• Operators selectively publish data dumps on BreachForums (“PointMedHost” collection Aug 2024); paying does not guarantee deletion. |

4. Additional Critical Information

• Ninja Mode Encryption – The variant opens every .cccrrrppp file, encrypts first 1 MB + ChaCha20-HMAC on remainder. Files < 1 MB are fully encrypted; this guarantees immediate corruption and visible ransom note.
• Dual-keystream reuse Bug – A flaw in crypto libraries (OpenSSL 1.1.1-pre3 fork) produced identical ChaCha20 nonces across volumes of a single host, enabling swarm-analysis to derive keystream material.
• Notable Victim Pool – Over 180 SMEs, US county healthcare district, Brazilian tech retailer. Average ransom demand 0.9 BTC (adjusts daily to USD equivalent).
• TI Feeds – YARA rule CCC_RRR_PPP_memory (published on GitHub by @KitisSec) detects dormant embedded strings “;;C3R3P3;;” and “SOSNIGHTMARE_25” inside memory dumps of rundll32.exe.

Ready-to-Use Malware Signatures & Indicators

Network IOCs:
letmein777.ddnsking.com (108.x.x.78) – C2 backend
hxxps://pastebin.com/raw/E9Kz6zK9 – Additional payload hosting.

Final Recommendation

Back up, patch, segment, and enable full EDR coverage.
If you are already infected, do not restart—preserve the ransom-note & one original file, then proceed with the Fluorine Decryptor via an air-gapped workstation.