Add yet another malicious encryption program to the expanding ranks of ransomware programs that target large enterprise networks in hopes of scoring big financial payoffs.
The latest such threat is called Snake, a ransomware program written in the Go programming language, with an unusually high level of obfuscation. It was discovered by researchers at MalwareHunterTeam; analyzed by Vitali Kremez, head of SentinelLabs at SentinelOne; and reported by BleepingComputer.
As Snake encrypts each network file, it reportedly appends a random five-character string to the extension, and then within each file it appends the file marker “EKANS” (SNAKE spelled backwards). Certain Windows system folders and system files are ignored by the ransomware, including windir, SystemDrive, :$Recycle.Bin, :ProgramData, :UsersAll Users, :Program Files, :Local Settings, :Boot, :System Volume Information, :Recovery and AppData.
Before the encryption begins, it removes shadow copies to thwart recovery efforts, and “kills numerous process related to related to SCADA systems, virtual machines, industrial control systems, remote management tools, network management software and more,” wrote BleepingCo ..
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