Recag/C4_31 · Datasets at Hugging Face

text stringlengths 14 66.2k
This means that restoring data is only possible by buying the key from us.
Buying the key is the simplest solution.
You don’t need to understand Russian to figure out that the asking price is 0.39 Bitcoins, or approximately $250.
The crooks also suggest (point 2) that they will decrypt a few files for you first if you need proof that they really have the key, although they don’t say up front exactly how you are supposed to send them the test files.
Most ransomware attacks we’ve seen in the last few years have started by scrambling your files, and finished by unscrambling your files once you’ve paid up.
In other words, the cybercrime component was all about squeezing you to pay the ransom, with the ransomware aspect essentially being the beginning and the end of the crime.
After decrypting your files and making sure that the ransomware program has been removed so it can’t accidentally strike again, the theory is that you’re back where you were before the attack started.
But JS/Ransom-DDL is interestingly different, because it deliberately installs a secondary malware infection: a password stealer blocked by Sophos products as Troj/Fareit-AWR.
The dropped Fareit malware is saved into your MyDocuments folder using the name st.exe.
Read our article How to stay protected against ransomware.
Consider using a protective recovery tool like Hitman Pro Alert from Sophos. This can detect when malware, including JS/Ransom-DDL, starts scrambling your data, killing the malicious process and rolling back the unauthorised changes so you don’t need to pay up.
By the way, if do you pay up for ransomware, never assume that the “recovery” tool provided by the crooks will clean up your computer as well as unscrambling your data.
As far as we know, the ransomware in this case might itself be intended as a sort of decoy, to distract you from the fact that you’ll still be infected with the password stealing component, even if you recover from the encryption part.
Insidious is what that is. Thanks to bringing this new threat vector to our attention.
On the lighter side (sorta) the text at a certain micro site that one might cathartically enter into one’s browser after reading this article (or while completing a form rife with JS) is far more family friendly–and even somewhat constructive–than it once was.
** is this a transitive verb? Is now.
“Obsolete” has been used as a transitive verb in computing for as long as I can remember, but it turns out that the first verb with a similar meaning was “obsolesce” (intransitive, meaning “become obsolete” or “be obsoleted”); the transitive verb “obsolete” now appears to be an Americanism (I’ve only seen it in American general-purpose dictionaries so far, but I have seen it in every dictionary I checked, and Oxford Dictionaries Online says “Chiefly American”), but the Oxford English Dictionary attests it as far back as 1640, less than a century after its earliest attestation for the adjective (when, as might be imagined, English was mostly confined to Britain).
Thanks for the references; the usage sounded odd to me but felt right, so I footnoted (har) a disclaimer. Duck, do Brits and Aussies prefer “renders obsolete” instead?
** did I do it again?
The use of “obsolete” as a verb rather than as an adjective is listed by my British and American dictionaries as “chiefly US,” but I think you can consider it mainstream on both sides of the Atlantic (North or South).
Indeed likely. Like all those man pages with decade-old ‘depreciated’ annotations.
Note to coders out there: write a small prog that finds and eradicates all Flash installations on a given subnet/Lan/domain. Charge ten bucks a pop. Or a dollar per ‘cleaned’ machine. Or donationware.
Note to Helpy McHelperton: I know that certain AD management tools already do this, but many small networks lack domain controllers (including my home, although a handful of Winboxes isn’t the target clientele).
Before downloading something from a site, surely there should be some due diligence about the site in question – and anyone can put “a SOPHOS company” under the logo?
Great article and resources. Thank you!
This was my concern, too – especially since they are .NL domain servers.
The SurfRight offices are in the Netherlands, thus .NL.
I have always had my systems set to show full file extensions and I very strongly recommend that everyone should set their systems likewise, as Paul suggests above. It should be the default setting anyway since there have been other insidious attacks using files with additional extensions, sometimes hidden beyond the right margin by additional spaces before the extra extension appears – watch out for them.
Just a question, won’t changing the default application for JS files in windows effectively stop any JS code being executed on a web page, including legitimate JS code?
The title is a bit misleading isn’t it?
The malware is written in JS, but it does not run when you visit a page due to browser restrictions. The user has to execute the file (via Windows script host) himself or some other way than just browsing some web site.
The deal here is that in Windows, .JS files are effectively first-class applications when run outside the browser.
When Will we see hitman pro (Sophos Clean) integrated in to Sophos end point security ?
I’m not sure of the date, I’m afraid…but it is en route 🙂 More news when I have it.
Don’t forget that these settings are account-specific. You have to make these changes for EACH account that is on a Windows system.
Hitman made a complete mess of IE 11 refusing to show last tab, always requiring one blank tab.
On trying to remove it from Control Panel programs/ uninstall, it Blue Screened windows on restart as its .sys driver was ‘still active’.
Removed until product is more reliable.
Sorry to hear you had problems…you don’t say what else was installed, which might be relevant. Have you tried emailing support@hitmanpro.com?
Why does this matter? Unless they download the private key to your machine, you’ll never be able to access the files. Presumably they don’t download the private key to your machine.
I’m not convinced this is a legit threat, and the title is incredibly sensationalist.
The script here absolutely does require a download; The user would have to download the file, then manually open that file (title as of current says “No download required”). If the main reason this is a threat is because the extension is hidden by default, sorry, but .exes do that too.
Additionally, if I am able to access the Windows Script Host on your PC, I can do lots of other nasty things, too.
The extension issue isn’t “the main reason this is a threat,” but merely a way of understanding how and why someone might open a .JS under the impression it was a document.
The only thing that is “news” about this is that now AVs are going to have to catch when a JS file is contacting the internet.
Why “are now going to have to”?
India's Sourav Ganguly and Australia's Ricky Ponting are united by their burning desire to succeed and neither will give an inch in Sunday's Cup final at the Wanderers.
One appeared destined for the captaincy, the other turned from bad boy to head boy.
But India's Sourav Ganguly and Australia's Ricky Ponting are united by their burning desire to succeed and neither will give an inch in Sunday's World Cup final here at the Wanderers.
Ganguly, 30, dubbed the 'Prince of Calcutta' by former England opening batsman Geoffrey Boycott, was born into a wealthy family and his sometimes aloof manner has not always made him popular with fans and opponents alike.
He even managed to get under the skin of such a hardened competitor as Steve Waugh.
The Australia captain was annoyed at being kept waiting at the toss by Ganguly during the 2000-01 Test series in India which the home team won 2-1.
But, crucially, Ganguly has his team-mates' respect, the support of India supremo Jagmohan Dalmiya as well as the ability to inspire and unify a side which is always at the mercy of regional rivalries.
Sunday's match will mark his 100th one-day international as captain - an impressive statistic in cricket-crazy India where pressure from fans often means the easiest way for officials to save their own skins is to sack the skipper at the first sign of trouble.
Ganguly's steel shows in the way he has been determined to carry on in the job despite the stoning of his family home in Calcutta after India went down to a nine-wicket thrashing against Australia in a first round match last month.
Calcutta also has significance for Ponting, nicknamed Punter by his team-mates after his ling for a bet on the greyhounds.
It was there that his career ran into problems when he was involved in a nightclub incident in 1998 and a year later his chances of becoming an Australia captain looked even more remote when he ran into trouble at a Sydney bar.
But Ponting, who hails from unfashionable Tasmania, eventually turned from poacher to game-keeper.
When Australia wanted a new one-day skipper to replace Waugh in 2002 it was Ponting, not squeaky-clean Test vice-captain Adam Gilchrist, whom the Australian selectors chose.
And with his side going into Sunday's final with a world record 16 consecutive one-day international victories behind them, no one in Australia has had cause to regret placing their faith in a punter.
A seven-hour evacuation and bomb-squad search revealed three devices resembling Molotov cocktails inside the man's home.
INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — A 34-year-old Indian River County man confronted deputies outside his house Oct. 1 with a Molotov cocktail in one hand and a lighter in the other, according to records released Monday by the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office.
The man’s actions, coupled with what deputies described as an "extremely strong smell of gasoline throughout the residence," prompted a bomb squad search and seven-hour evacuation of two Oslo Park streets.
The man and his 34-year-old girlfriend were both hospitalized in a law-enforcement-initiated Baker Act, which allows for involuntary commitment pending a mental health evaluation.
The investigation remains open, according to sheriff’s officials.
A woman first called 911 from the house, in the 1300 block of 26th Avenue Southwest, about 12:07 a.m. Oct. 1, a report showed.
The caller told dispatchers people outside had been "shooting laser" and "drilling at the windows" for hours.
The people were dressed in camouflage, "like a bush," and were trying to get inside the front door, according to the woman.
She told dispatchers her boyfriend was a former soldier who suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, and denied doing drugs or drinking alcohol.
Deputies responded, and the event was marked as a "suspicious incident."
Later Monday, about 3 p.m., deputies again responded to the home after the man told dispatchers there were six or seven people outside his home with guns, a report said.
He told dispatchers he was going to throw a gasoline bomb.
Responding deputies verified there was nobody positioned outside the residence and dispatchers directed the couple to exit the home.
The woman emerged first, frantically rambling about the people she thought were surrounding the home.
The man then walked outside with a Molotov cocktail fashioned from a Mason jar in one hand and a lighter in the other. There was no rag or wick in the device.
The man was described by deputies as "visibly nervous and agitated." He put down the device when directed to do so, the report said.
"Do you see the person in the white mask standing next to the tree?" the man asked a deputy, who said nobody was where he was pointing.
Knives were visible throughout the house, which reeked of gasoline, according to the report.
The St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office bomb squad responded about 5:15 p.m. and searched the home, finding two other Molotov cocktail-like devices.
Capt. Chris Cicio, who leads the bomb disposal team, said none appeared very sophisticated, though additional testing is underway.
The Mason jar the man was carrying when he walked outside had a dark liquid inside.
"We believe it to be a flammable liquid, and some prills inside of it," Cicio said.
Prills, he said, are small balls — slightly larger than a BB — of ammonium nitrate fertilizer.
The other two devices had fuses but no liquid.
The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives was assisting with the investigation.
TCPalm and Treasure Coast Newspapers customarily do not name people who have been admitted to a mental health facility for evaluation after an incident involving law enforcement if they are not facing criminal charges.
By Matt Mueller - 3:56 p.m.
Just in time for Record Store Day, here are some of the best places around town to wax musical and feed your PVC addiction.
Another day, another Summerfest grounds stage headliner schedule announcement. Today's reveal comes courtesy of the Harley-Davidson Roadhouse, which this year will feature the eclectic likes of Lizzo, T-Pain, Cole Swindell and many more.
Yesterday it was the Miller Lite Oasis; today it's the BMO Harris Pavilion, filling out its headliner lineup for Summerfest 2019.
A little less than two weeks ago, we found out who was coming to the lakefront for the Big Gig this summer; now it's time to find out where they're all actually going to play - starting today with the Miller Lite Oasis headliners.
Thursday night, the Branford Marsalis Quartet treated its Pabst Theater audience to a versatile performance which included a number of songs from the group's latest album, the critically-acclaimed "The Secret Between the Shadow and the Soul."
Summer festival (announcement) season continues on this week, as Bay View's Chill on the Hill joined the daily Summerfest grounds stage announcements and River Rhythms in unveiling its lineup of local music coming soon to Humboldt Park.
GenoPalate moving to Technology Innovation Centerwdacaywsvdavzqxdrxrqycyzwwswwwxuddrs 1:46 p.m.
Posted on Dec. 22, 2016 - 3:46 p.m.
Posted on April 12, 2016 - 6:30 p.m.
Posted on April 25, 2019 - 3:56 p.m.
Posted on Dec. 19, 2018 - 3:17 p.m.
Posted on April 9, 2019 - 7:16 p.m.
Posted on April 12, 2019 - 10:02 a.m.

This means that restoring data is only possible by buying the key from us.

Buying the key is the simplest solution.

You don’t need to understand Russian to figure out that the asking price is 0.39 Bitcoins, or approximately $250.

The crooks also suggest (point 2) that they will decrypt a few files for you first if you need proof that they really have the key, although they don’t say up front exactly how you are supposed to send them the test files.

Most ransomware attacks we’ve seen in the last few years have started by scrambling your files, and finished by unscrambling your files once you’ve paid up.

In other words, the cybercrime component was all about squeezing you to pay the ransom, with the ransomware aspect essentially being the beginning and the end of the crime.

After decrypting your files and making sure that the ransomware program has been removed so it can’t accidentally strike again, the theory is that you’re back where you were before the attack started.

But JS/Ransom-DDL is interestingly different, because it deliberately installs a secondary malware infection: a password stealer blocked by Sophos products as Troj/Fareit-AWR.

The dropped Fareit malware is saved into your MyDocuments folder using the name st.exe.

Read our article How to stay protected against ransomware.

Consider using a protective recovery tool like Hitman Pro Alert from Sophos. This can detect when malware, including JS/Ransom-DDL, starts scrambling your data, killing the malicious process and rolling back the unauthorised changes so you don’t need to pay up.

By the way, if do you pay up for ransomware, never assume that the “recovery” tool provided by the crooks will clean up your computer as well as unscrambling your data.

As far as we know, the ransomware in this case might itself be intended as a sort of decoy, to distract you from the fact that you’ll still be infected with the password stealing component, even if you recover from the encryption part.

Insidious is what that is. Thanks to bringing this new threat vector to our attention.

On the lighter side (sorta) the text at a certain micro site that one might cathartically enter into one’s browser after reading this article (or while completing a form rife with JS) is far more family friendly–and even somewhat constructive–than it once was.

** is this a transitive verb? Is now.

“Obsolete” has been used as a transitive verb in computing for as long as I can remember, but it turns out that the first verb with a similar meaning was “obsolesce” (intransitive, meaning “become obsolete” or “be obsoleted”); the transitive verb “obsolete” now appears to be an Americanism (I’ve only seen it in American general-purpose dictionaries so far, but I have seen it in every dictionary I checked, and Oxford Dictionaries Online says “Chiefly American”), but the Oxford English Dictionary attests it as far back as 1640, less than a century after its earliest attestation for the adjective (when, as might be imagined, English was mostly confined to Britain).

Thanks for the references; the usage sounded odd to me but felt right, so I footnoted (har) a disclaimer. Duck, do Brits and Aussies prefer “renders obsolete” instead?

** did I do it again?

The use of “obsolete” as a verb rather than as an adjective is listed by my British and American dictionaries as “chiefly US,” but I think you can consider it mainstream on both sides of the Atlantic (North or South).

Indeed likely. Like all those man pages with decade-old ‘depreciated’ annotations.

Note to coders out there: write a small prog that finds and eradicates all Flash installations on a given subnet/Lan/domain. Charge ten bucks a pop. Or a dollar per ‘cleaned’ machine. Or donationware.

Note to Helpy McHelperton: I know that certain AD management tools already do this, but many small networks lack domain controllers (including my home, although a handful of Winboxes isn’t the target clientele).

Before downloading something from a site, surely there should be some due diligence about the site in question – and anyone can put “a SOPHOS company” under the logo?

Great article and resources. Thank you!

This was my concern, too – especially since they are .NL domain servers.

The SurfRight offices are in the Netherlands, thus .NL.

I have always had my systems set to show full file extensions and I very strongly recommend that everyone should set their systems likewise, as Paul suggests above. It should be the default setting anyway since there have been other insidious attacks using files with additional extensions, sometimes hidden beyond the right margin by additional spaces before the extra extension appears – watch out for them.

Just a question, won’t changing the default application for JS files in windows effectively stop any JS code being executed on a web page, including legitimate JS code?

The title is a bit misleading isn’t it?

The malware is written in JS, but it does not run when you visit a page due to browser restrictions. The user has to execute the file (via Windows script host) himself or some other way than just browsing some web site.

The deal here is that in Windows, .JS files are effectively first-class applications when run outside the browser.

When Will we see hitman pro (Sophos Clean) integrated in to Sophos end point security ?

I’m not sure of the date, I’m afraid…but it is en route 🙂 More news when I have it.

Don’t forget that these settings are account-specific. You have to make these changes for EACH account that is on a Windows system.

Hitman made a complete mess of IE 11 refusing to show last tab, always requiring one blank tab.

On trying to remove it from Control Panel programs/ uninstall, it Blue Screened windows on restart as its .sys driver was ‘still active’.

Removed until product is more reliable.

Sorry to hear you had problems…you don’t say what else was installed, which might be relevant. Have you tried emailing support@hitmanpro.com?

Why does this matter? Unless they download the private key to your machine, you’ll never be able to access the files. Presumably they don’t download the private key to your machine.

I’m not convinced this is a legit threat, and the title is incredibly sensationalist.

The script here absolutely does require a download; The user would have to *download* the file, then manually open that file (title as of current says “No download required”). If the main reason this is a threat is because the extension is hidden by default, sorry, but .exes do that too.

Additionally, if I am able to access the Windows Script Host on your PC, I can do lots of other nasty things, too.

The extension issue isn’t “the main reason this is a threat,” but merely a way of understanding how and why someone might open a .JS under the impression it was a document.

The only thing that is “news” about this is that now AVs are going to have to catch when a JS file is contacting the internet.

Why “are now going to have to”?

India's Sourav Ganguly and Australia's Ricky Ponting are united by their burning desire to succeed and neither will give an inch in Sunday's Cup final at the Wanderers.

One appeared destined for the captaincy, the other turned from bad boy to head boy.

But India's Sourav Ganguly and Australia's Ricky Ponting are united by their burning desire to succeed and neither will give an inch in Sunday's World Cup final here at the Wanderers.

Ganguly, 30, dubbed the 'Prince of Calcutta' by former England opening batsman Geoffrey Boycott, was born into a wealthy family and his sometimes aloof manner has not always made him popular with fans and opponents alike.

He even managed to get under the skin of such a hardened competitor as Steve Waugh.

The Australia captain was annoyed at being kept waiting at the toss by Ganguly during the 2000-01 Test series in India which the home team won 2-1.

But, crucially, Ganguly has his team-mates' respect, the support of India supremo Jagmohan Dalmiya as well as the ability to inspire and unify a side which is always at the mercy of regional rivalries.

Sunday's match will mark his 100th one-day international as captain - an impressive statistic in cricket-crazy India where pressure from fans often means the easiest way for officials to save their own skins is to sack the skipper at the first sign of trouble.

Ganguly's steel shows in the way he has been determined to carry on in the job despite the stoning of his family home in Calcutta after India went down to a nine-wicket thrashing against Australia in a first round match last month.

Calcutta also has significance for Ponting, nicknamed Punter by his team-mates after his ling for a bet on the greyhounds.

It was there that his career ran into problems when he was involved in a nightclub incident in 1998 and a year later his chances of becoming an Australia captain looked even more remote when he ran into trouble at a Sydney bar.

But Ponting, who hails from unfashionable Tasmania, eventually turned from poacher to game-keeper.

When Australia wanted a new one-day skipper to replace Waugh in 2002 it was Ponting, not squeaky-clean Test vice-captain Adam Gilchrist, whom the Australian selectors chose.

And with his side going into Sunday's final with a world record 16 consecutive one-day international victories behind them, no one in Australia has had cause to regret placing their faith in a punter.

A seven-hour evacuation and bomb-squad search revealed three devices resembling Molotov cocktails inside the man's home.

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — A 34-year-old Indian River County man confronted deputies outside his house Oct. 1 with a Molotov cocktail in one hand and a lighter in the other, according to records released Monday by the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office.

The man’s actions, coupled with what deputies described as an "extremely strong smell of gasoline throughout the residence," prompted a bomb squad search and seven-hour evacuation of two Oslo Park streets.

The man and his 34-year-old girlfriend were both hospitalized in a law-enforcement-initiated Baker Act, which allows for involuntary commitment pending a mental health evaluation.

The investigation remains open, according to sheriff’s officials.

A woman first called 911 from the house, in the 1300 block of 26th Avenue Southwest, about 12:07 a.m. Oct. 1, a report showed.

The caller told dispatchers people outside had been "shooting laser" and "drilling at the windows" for hours.

The people were dressed in camouflage, "like a bush," and were trying to get inside the front door, according to the woman.

She told dispatchers her boyfriend was a former soldier who suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, and denied doing drugs or drinking alcohol.

Deputies responded, and the event was marked as a "suspicious incident."

Later Monday, about 3 p.m., deputies again responded to the home after the man told dispatchers there were six or seven people outside his home with guns, a report said.

He told dispatchers he was going to throw a gasoline bomb.

Responding deputies verified there was nobody positioned outside the residence and dispatchers directed the couple to exit the home.

The woman emerged first, frantically rambling about the people she thought were surrounding the home.

The man then walked outside with a Molotov cocktail fashioned from a Mason jar in one hand and a lighter in the other. There was no rag or wick in the device.

The man was described by deputies as "visibly nervous and agitated." He put down the device when directed to do so, the report said.

"Do you see the person in the white mask standing next to the tree?" the man asked a deputy, who said nobody was where he was pointing.

Knives were visible throughout the house, which reeked of gasoline, according to the report.

The St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office bomb squad responded about 5:15 p.m. and searched the home, finding two other Molotov cocktail-like devices.

Capt. Chris Cicio, who leads the bomb disposal team, said none appeared very sophisticated, though additional testing is underway.

The Mason jar the man was carrying when he walked outside had a dark liquid inside.

"We believe it to be a flammable liquid, and some prills inside of it," Cicio said.

Prills, he said, are small balls — slightly larger than a BB — of ammonium nitrate fertilizer.

The other two devices had fuses but no liquid.

The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives was assisting with the investigation.

TCPalm and Treasure Coast Newspapers customarily do not name people who have been admitted to a mental health facility for evaluation after an incident involving law enforcement if they are not facing criminal charges.

By Matt Mueller - 3:56 p.m.

Just in time for Record Store Day, here are some of the best places around town to wax musical and feed your PVC addiction.

Another day, another Summerfest grounds stage headliner schedule announcement. Today's reveal comes courtesy of the Harley-Davidson Roadhouse, which this year will feature the eclectic likes of Lizzo, T-Pain, Cole Swindell and many more.

Yesterday it was the Miller Lite Oasis; today it's the BMO Harris Pavilion, filling out its headliner lineup for Summerfest 2019.

A little less than two weeks ago, we found out who was coming to the lakefront for the Big Gig this summer; now it's time to find out where they're all actually going to play - starting today with the Miller Lite Oasis headliners.

Thursday night, the Branford Marsalis Quartet treated its Pabst Theater audience to a versatile performance which included a number of songs from the group's latest album, the critically-acclaimed "The Secret Between the Shadow and the Soul."

Summer festival (announcement) season continues on this week, as Bay View's Chill on the Hill joined the daily Summerfest grounds stage announcements and River Rhythms in unveiling its lineup of local music coming soon to Humboldt Park.

GenoPalate moving to Technology Innovation Centerwdacaywsvdavzqxdrxrqycyzwwswwwxuddrs 1:46 p.m.

Posted on Dec. 22, 2016 - 3:46 p.m.

Posted on April 12, 2016 - 6:30 p.m.

Posted on April 25, 2019 - 3:56 p.m.

Posted on Dec. 19, 2018 - 3:17 p.m.

Posted on April 9, 2019 - 7:16 p.m.

Posted on April 12, 2019 - 10:02 a.m.