*.*[email protected]*.deal

[Content by Gemini 2.5]

The ransomware variant identified by the file extension *.*[email protected]*.deal is a specific iteration of a well-known ransomware family, often associated with Dharma or Phobos ransomware. These families are notorious for their aggressive attack methods and the use of unique identifiers combined with an attacker’s email address in the file renaming convention.

Technical Breakdown:

1. File Extension & Renaming Patterns

  • Confirmation of File Extension: The exact file extension used by this variant is .[ID].[[email protected]].deal.
  • Renaming Convention: When a file is encrypted by this ransomware, it undergoes a specific renaming process. The original filename is appended with a unique victim ID (often an alphanumeric string or a hexadecimal identifier), followed by the attacker’s specified email address, and finally, the .deal extension.
    • Example: A file named document.docx might be renamed to document.docx.id-A1B2C3D4.[[email protected]].deal or document.docx.id[A1B2C3D4][email protected]. The format id-[victim_ID] or id[victim_ID] is common.
    • A ransom note, typically named info.txt, README.txt, or FILES ENCRYPTED.txt, is usually dropped in multiple directories where files have been encrypted. This note contains instructions for contacting the attackers via the specified email address ([email protected]) to negotiate the ransom.

2. Detection & Outbreak Timeline

  • Approximate Start Date/Period: While a precise “start date” for the [email protected] variant specifically is difficult to pinpoint without specific threat intelligence reports for that exact email, the underlying ransomware families (Dharma/Phobos) have been highly active since at least 2016-2017. New variants, often distinguished only by the appended email address and final extension (e.g., .onion, .adage, .bip, .deal), emerge frequently as part of ongoing campaigns. Therefore, this specific variant likely began appearing as part of these continuous operations, potentially in late 2023 or early 2024, or whenever that specific email address became active for the group.

3. Primary Attack Vectors

The ransomware families behind variants like *.*[email protected]*.deal primarily leverage the following propagation mechanisms, often targeting businesses and organizations rather than individual home users:

  • Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) Exploitation: This is one of the most common and effective vectors. Attackers typically:
    • Brute-force weak RDP credentials: They repeatedly attempt common or easily guessable usernames and passwords.
    • Exploit insecure RDP configurations: Gaining access to systems with RDP exposed to the internet.
    • Once RDP access is gained, they manually deploy the ransomware and execute it.
  • Phishing Campaigns:
    • Spear-Phishing: Targeted emails containing malicious attachments (e.g., seemingly legitimate documents with embedded macros, or archives containing executables disguised as invoices, reports, etc.).
    • Malicious Links: Links within phishing emails directing victims to compromised websites that download malware, or tricking them into revealing credentials.
  • Software Vulnerabilities (Less Common for Initial Access): While possible, direct exploitation of critical software vulnerabilities for initial access is less common for this specific type of ransomware variant compared to RDP or phishing. However, once inside a network, attackers might exploit unpatched systems for lateral movement (e.g., exploiting SMB vulnerabilities like EternalBlue if systems are unpatched, though this is more typical of worms).
  • Supply Chain Compromise (Indirect): In rare cases, a trusted software update or third-party service could be compromised to deliver malware, but this is not a primary or typical vector for the specific [email protected] variant.

Remediation & Recovery Strategies:

1. Prevention

Proactive measures are crucial to prevent infection by ransomware variants like *.*[email protected]*.deal:

  • Robust RDP Security:
    • Strong, Unique Passwords: Enforce complex passwords for all RDP accounts.
    • Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Implement MFA for all RDP access.
    • Restrict RDP Access: Limit RDP access to only essential personnel and specific IP addresses (e.g., via firewall rules).
    • Use VPN for RDP: Place RDP behind a Virtual Private Network (VPN) so it’s not directly exposed to the internet.
    • Monitor RDP Logs: Regularly review RDP logs for suspicious activity (e.g., failed login attempts).
  • Regular Software Updates & Patch Management: Keep operating systems, applications, and all security software up-to-date to patch known vulnerabilities.
  • Email Security & Awareness:
    • Email Filtering: Implement robust anti-spam and anti-phishing solutions.
    • User Training: Conduct regular cybersecurity awareness training to educate employees about identifying phishing emails, suspicious links, and malicious attachments.
    • Attachment Sandboxing: Use solutions that analyze email attachments in a secure environment before delivery.
  • Network Segmentation: Divide your network into isolated segments to limit the lateral movement of ransomware if an infection occurs.
  • Comprehensive Backup Strategy:
    • 3-2-1 Backup Rule: Maintain at least three copies of your data, store them on two different types of media, and keep one copy offsite or offline.
    • Immutable Backups: Utilize backup solutions that offer immutability to prevent ransomware from encrypting or deleting your backups.
    • Regular Testing: Periodically test your backup recovery process to ensure data integrity and functionality.
  • Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) / Antivirus: Deploy and maintain up-to-date antivirus/anti-malware solutions with real-time protection and behavioral analysis capabilities.
  • Disable Unnecessary Services: Turn off RDP or other remote access services if they are not absolutely necessary.
  • Principle of Least Privilege: Grant users and applications only the minimum necessary permissions to perform their tasks.

2. Removal

If an infection occurs, follow these steps to remove the ransomware:

  1. Isolate Infected Systems: Immediately disconnect affected computers and servers from the network (both wired and Wi-Fi) to prevent further spread.
  2. Identify & Terminate Processes: Use Task Manager (Windows) or Process Explorer to identify and terminate any suspicious processes associated with the ransomware. Look for processes consuming high CPU or disk I/O, or those recently created.
  3. Scan and Remove Malware:
    • Boot the infected system into Safe Mode with Networking (if necessary, though full system scans are better done offline or from a bootable rescue disk).
    • Run a full system scan with a reputable and up-to-date antivirus/anti-malware program. Consider using multiple scanners (e.g., Malwarebytes, HitmanPro) for thoroughness.
    • Ensure the AV tool is capable of removing the detected threats.
  4. Remove Persistence Mechanisms: The ransomware might have created persistence mechanisms to restart after a reboot. Check and remove:
    • Registry Run Keys: (HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run, HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run)
    • Startup Folders: (%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup)
    • Scheduled Tasks: (Task Scheduler – taskschd.msc)
    • Services: (Services.msc)
  5. Change All Passwords: After the infection is contained and removed, immediately change all passwords, especially for administrative accounts, RDP accounts, and any service accounts that might have been compromised. Implement MFA wherever possible.
  6. Investigate the Root Cause: Crucially, determine how the infection occurred (e.g., RDP brute-force, phishing email). This is essential to patch the vulnerability and prevent re-infection. Review logs (RDP, firewall, email gateway, security software) thoroughly.

3. File Decryption & Recovery

  • Recovery Feasibility: For ransomware variants like *.*[email protected]*.deal, direct decryption without the attacker’s private key is generally not possible. These ransomware families use strong, modern encryption algorithms (e.g., AES-256 and RSA-2048) that are computationally infeasible to break.

    • While security researchers constantly look for flaws, a universal decryptor for this specific variant is highly unlikely to be released unless a significant flaw is found in its cryptographic implementation or the attackers’ keys are compromised/leaked.
    • Never pay the ransom. There is no guarantee that paying will result in file decryption, and it incentivizes further criminal activity.

  • Methods or Tools Available (Limited):

    • Backups (Primary Method): The most reliable and recommended method for file recovery is to restore from clean, offline, and up-to-date backups created before the infection.
    • No More Ransom Project: Regularly check the No More Ransom website. This initiative by Europol and other security vendors provides free decryptors for various ransomware families. While unlikely for this specific variant (given its typical encryption strength), it’s always the first place to check.
    • Shadow Volume Copies (VSS): Ransomware often attempts to delete Shadow Volume Copies to prevent recovery. However, in some cases, if VSS was enabled and the ransomware failed to delete them completely, you might be able to recover older versions of files using tools like vssadmin or third-party recovery software. This is a low-probability method for modern ransomware.
    • Data Recovery Software: For files that were not fully encrypted or for remnants, data recovery software might retrieve unencrypted versions, but this is typically a last resort and often yields incomplete results.

  • Essential Tools/Patches:

    • Antivirus/Anti-malware Suites: Keep them updated (e.g., Windows Defender, Sophos, ESET, Bitdefender, CrowdStrike, Malwarebytes).
    • Patch Management Software: To ensure all systems are up-to-date.
    • Backup Solutions: Reliable backup software and hardware (e.g., Veeam, Acronis, Carbonite, cloud backups).
    • Firewalls and Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS): To block malicious traffic and RDP brute-force attempts.
    • Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) Solutions: For all remote access and critical systems.

4. Other Critical Information

  • Additional Precautions:
    • User Account Control (UAC): Do not disable UAC, as it can help prevent unauthorized changes.
    • Application Whitelisting: Implement application whitelisting to allow only approved programs to run, preventing the execution of ransomware binaries.
    • Regular Security Audits: Conduct periodic security audits and penetration tests to identify and remediate vulnerabilities.
    • Incident Response Plan: Develop and regularly test a comprehensive incident response plan for ransomware attacks.
  • Broader Impact:
    • Significant Data Loss: The primary impact is the loss of access to critical data, which can cripple business operations.
    • Business Disruption: Extended downtime, affecting productivity, customer service, and supply chains.
    • Financial Costs: Enormous costs associated with recovery (IT staff, external experts, new hardware), potential ransom payment (if chosen, though not recommended), legal fees, and regulatory fines.
    • Reputational Damage: Loss of customer trust and damage to an organization’s brand and reputation.
    • Regulatory Penalties: Potential fines and legal repercussions under data protection regulations (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA, CCPA) if personal or sensitive data is compromised.
    • Psychological Toll: The stress and pressure on IT teams and leadership can be immense.

This specific variant, like others in its family, targets the heart of an organization’s operations, making robust preventative measures and a rapid, well-rehearsed recovery plan absolutely essential.