Ransom.BlackByte

Short bio

Ransom.BlackByte is Malwarebytes’ detection name for a a Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) group that encrypts files on compromised systems.

Symptoms

The BlackByte executable leaves a ransom note in all directories where encryption occurs. The ransom note includes the .onion site that contains instructions for paying the ransom and receiving a decryption key.

Type and source of infection

Ransom.BlackByte is ransomware as a service. Ransomware in general makes files on the victims system unusable until the ransom is paid. Ransomware as a service can be delivered in many ways, which depend on the affiliate that is deploying the ransomware. For now, Ransom.BlackByte seems to use a known Microsoft Exchange Server vulnerability to establish a first base and use worm like capabilities to spread across a network.

Protection

Malwarebytes blocks Ransom.BlackByte

Home remediation

Malwarebytes can detect and remove Ransom.BlackByte without further user interaction.

1. Please download Malwarebytes to your desktop.
2. Double-click MBSetup.exe and follow the prompts to install the program.
3. When your Malwarebytes for Windows installation completes, the program opens to the Welcome to Malwarebytes screen.
4. Click on the Get started button.
5. Click Scan to start a Threat Scan.
6. Click Quarantine to remove the found threats.
7. Reboot the system if prompted to complete the removal process.

Take note, however, that removing this ransomware does not decrypt your files. For older variants of Ransom.BlackByte there is a decryptor avvailable. For later versions, you can only get your files back from backups you made before the infection happened.

Traces/IOCs

Older variants downloaded the encryption key from:

http://45.9.148.114/forest.png

The filenames for suspicious ASPX files appeared to have the following naming conventions:

• <5 random alphabetical characters>.aspx
• error<2 capital letters>.aspx
• iismeta<4 random numbers>.aspx

Business remediation

How to remove Ransom.BlackByte with the Malwarebytes Nebula console

You can use the Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Nebula console to scan endpoints.

Nebula endpoint tasks menu

Choose the Scan + Quarantine option. Afterwards you can check the Detections page to see which threats were found.

On the Quarantine page you can see which threats were quarantined and restore them if necessary.

All component/technology detections are passed to the remediation engine for complete removal from infected systems. This industry leading technology uses patented techniques in identifying all cohorts or associated files for a single threat and removes them all together to prevent malware from resuscitating itself. If you are using Malwarebytes Ransomware Rollback technology, it allows you to wind back the clock to negate the impact of ransomware by leveraging just-in-time backups. If not, for older variants of Ransom.BlackByte there is a decryptor avvailable.