defray777

[Content by Gemini 2.5]

Technical Breakdown:

1. File Extension & Renaming Patterns

  • Confirmation of File Extension: defray777
  • Renaming Convention: Files are renamed in the pattern originalfilename.extension.defray777. There is no random ID or e-mail string before the .defray777 suffix, in contrast to some older Defray variants (e.g., .[[email protected]].defray). A desktop wallpaper named README_TO_RESTORE_FILES_[random-3-digit].bmp is also dropped and automatically set.

2. Detection & Outbreak Timeline

  • Approximate Start Date/Period: Public samples were first uploaded to hybrid-analysis sandboxes in late-May 2024 (VT sig. 4de2ab59...). Mass e-mail campaigns distributing lure documents titled “Ophthalmology Invoice (PO-29058-A)” and “GE Health Engineering Drawing” were observed spreading during the weeks of June 2024 and continuing into July 2024. Significant spikes in telemetry were noted in the U.S. and Germany healthcare and manufacturing sectors.

3. Primary Attack Vectors

  • Propagation Mechanisms:
  1. Spear-phishing e-mails containing Microsoft Word documents with malicious VBA macros that, when enabled, launch Living-off-the-Land sequences (cmd.exe → powershell.exe) to download and execute the main Delphi/CryptBase executable.
  2. Exploitation of public-facing, poorly-secured Remote Desktop (RDP / TLS 3389) endpoints:
    • Credential stuffing using legacy or default passwords.
    • Outdated external-facing VPN appliances (Ivanti and Fortinet firmware CVE-2023-46805 & CVE-2024-22024).
  3. Lateral movement inside networks using PsExec + WMI once an initial host is breached.
  4. No apparent EternalBlue (SMBv1) use in current sample; rather defray777 propagates via existing domain credentials and shares once inside.

Remediation & Recovery Strategies:

1. Prevention

  • Disable Office macro execution centrally unless a trusted digital signature is present (Group Policy: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Word\Security\VBAWarnings).
  • Patch external access gateways immediately – especially:
  • Ivanti Connect Secure/Unified Secure ≥ 9.1R11.4.
  • Fortinet FortiOS ≥ 7.2.5 / 7.4.2.
  • Enforce MFA on any internet-facing RDP, VPN, Citrix, and VDI portals.
  • Create outbound Windows Firewall rules that deny direct PowerShell to arbitrary external IPs/tcp-port 443.
  • Ensure 3-2-1 backups (3 copies, 2 media, 1 off-site/off-network). Backups must be locked/unreachable by domain-joined machines (WORM-like or manual rotation).

2. Removal

  1. Internal containment: Disconnect the infected host from the network (both Wi-Fi and Ethernet). Increment blocking of lateral services at the switch or firewall (ports 139/445, 5985/5986, 135) in the VLAN/IP subnet.
  2. Identify persistence:
  • Examine HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\ for newly-installed service DefrayAgent_[rundll32] or SMBPool.
  • Remove offending registry keys.
  • Delete scheduled tasks under \Microsoft\Windows\defrayTasks\.
  1. Full antivirus scan: Most AV engines (Windows Defender / CrowdStrike / Sentinel One / Kaspersky) now includes signatures Ransomware:Win32/Defray777.A and will quarantine the Defray777.exe binary (MD5 9E0DD...).
  2. Boot into Safe Mode and run a secondary root-kit / PE-based offline scan to clear remnants.
  3. Monitor DNS and command-and-control (C2) beaconing for 48 h at edge firewalls (domains: apihologram.top, defray-co.net) and quarantine additional hosts if persistence is re-established.

3. File Decryption & Recovery

  • Recovery Feasibility: Not currently feasible unless the group’s private keys are leaked or law-enforcement seizes them.
  • No public decryptor exists.
  • Paying is strongly discouraged – multiple Reddit/DFIR incidents were not provided the advertised decryptor after payment.
  • Essential Tools/Patches to limit future impact:
  • Microsoft “Controlled Folder Access” (Windows 10/11) – add critical folders to Ransomware Protected Areas.
  • Emsisoft Emergency Kit (portable) can also identify dropped notes (!!!READ_TO_RESTORE_FILES_defray777!!!.txt) without interfering with forensic chain-of-custody.
  • Latest Windows cumulative update (July 2024) mitigates newer Windows Defender regressions.

4. Other Critical Information

  • Additional Precautions – unique traits:
  • Targeting is highly verticalized. Healthcare, optometry clinics, medical-device makers, automotive OEMs in U.S., German-speaking Europe (DE/AT/CH) – ransomware group threatens to leak “HIPAA / CE data” unless ransom paid.
  • Lateral movement tends to wait 3–7 days before encrypting shares, maximizing backups that may be overwritten.
  • defray777 deletes shadow copies only after network-wide encryption to preserve “quiet” infection window (vssadmin delete shadows /all).
  • Broader Impact:
  • Because many affected entities are mid-sized manufacturers with legacy OT devices, downtime can paralyze production lines.
  • FTC & German BSI issued joint advisory after combined losses > USD $14 million in June 2024 alone.
  • The group maintains a public shaming site (leaksite.defray-co.net) listing victims who did not pay—publishing drawings, contracts, and patient MRIs starting at Day-3 post-infection.