![]() An extension, which is a seemingly random word used to differentiate the person or group responsible for the attack.An email address, which also appears in the note and is where victims are instructed to request their files.This will be in two parts and could contain letters and numbers An ID number, which is also in the ransom note.The files are then renamed with an extension containing: Both AES and RSA are widely used for secure data transmission, for both legitimate and malicious purposes. The data itself is encrypted with AES, while the private key used for decryption is encrypted with RSA. Phobos uses the Advanced Encryption Standard AES-256 alongside another popular algorithm, RSA-1024. These attempts to cover its tracks are similar to the approach taken by Sodinokibi ransomware. Disabling security measures, including firewalls. ![]() The malware will also conduct some protective measures, including: This will typically include user-generated files, including documents, commonly used folders, and media. Phobos will then begin a continuous scan, targeting local user files and network shares, and monitoring for new files that meet the requirements for encryption. The ransomware will then install itself into key locations, such as the Windows Startup folder and %APPDATA% folder, and create registry keys so it can resume even after a system restart. As this process is so simple, Phobos has become popular with cybercriminals as it allows those with less skill to conduct an impactful attack. The threat actor will copy the executable file and launch it using access privileges. Once access to a system has been secured, the ransomware does not typically attempt to bypass Windows User Account Control (UAC). Botnets can be used to scan for systems that have left this port open, providing an opportunity for the bad actor to guess the login details using, for example, a brute force attack. The specific port targeted by the ransomware is port 3389. By gaining direct access using the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP).By conducting phishing campaigns to steal account details and passwords, or to trick the targeted individual into opening a malicious attachment.Hackers use Phobos ransomware to target remote desktops with weak passwords using two main attack vectors: Both are designed to target Windows systems, as they use exploits in Microsoft’s RDP communication protocol. One reason that Dharma and Phobos are popular with hackers is their ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) approach, which requires minimal technical skills to launch an attack. As a result, small and medium-sized businesses must be particularly vigilant of the impact a Phobos ransomware attack could have on their data security. While Dharma and Phobos are very similar in terms of their code and popular due to their simplicity, there is one major difference: as of early 2022, there is still not a decryption tool available for Phobos. Similarly, when decryption tools were developed to target Dharma, the ransomware again evolved. Following the creation of Crysis decryption keys, cybercriminals updated the code to create Dharma. Crysis was first identified in 2016 and became popular when its source code was released online. Phobos, named after the Greek god of fear, is a type of ransomware with close ties to two other types of notorious virus, Crysis and Dharma, in terms of structure and approach.
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