The Conti ransomware group has become one of the most notorious cybercrime collectives in the world, known for its aggressive tactics and large scale attacks against a wide range of public and private organizations. Along with other prominent ransomware groups, Conti has underlined the importance of preparing a strong response plan to mitigate the effects of what could be an incredibly damaging blow to a company’s assets, personnel, and reputation.
Conti Ransomware continues its spread with a new variant “PUTIN” . Analysts at SecneurX found that PUTIN encrypts files and appends its extension (".PUTIN") to filenames. Also, it drops the "README.txt" file that contains a ransom note. After executing the PUTIN ransomware all files and folders got encrypted and appended their filenames with a ".PUTIN" extension. For Example a file titled as "Sep2019.docx" appeared as "Sep2019.docx.PUTIN", "Jan2020.docx" as "Jan2020.docx.PUTIN", and so on.
Screenshot of files encrypted by PUTIN ransomware
PUTIN Ransomware Overview
PUTIN ransomware notes inform victims has to contact the threat actor within two days if not the data which was encrypted will not be recovered and also an telegram channel (@PutinRestore, @PutinInformation) was mentioned in README.txt.
How does ransomware infect my computer?
Malware (ransomware included) is spread using phishing and social engineering tactics. Malicious programs are typically presented as or bundled with ordinary content. Infectious files can be executables (.exe, .run, etc.), archives (ZIP, RAR, etc.), Microsoft Office and PDF documents, JavaScript, and so on. When a virulent file is executed, run, or otherwise opened - the infection process is jumpstarted.
Screenshot of PUTIN Ransomware Text file (“README.txt”)
Translated README.txt
Your files are encrypted ID: Feuhxqx7c5YPHIV44QLbd9g8jdOhXlKN
Data recovery will not be possible after 2 days.
Contact us in telegram(desktop.telegram.org) - @PutinRestore or https://t.me/PutinRestore
We publish current contacts in Telegram channel - @PutinInformation or
https://t.me/PutinInformation
IOC DETAILS
fe311979cd099677b1fd7c5b2008aed000f0e38d58eb3bfd30d04444476416f9
What can you do to avoid being a ransomware victim?
As dangerous as ransomware is, simply being aware and staying updated with the latest ransomware trends can go a long way in securing your data and systems. Here are helpful tips on how you can defend yourself from a likely attack.
Scrutinize emails & its attachments before opening them
Be wary of emails from unverified sources. You can check by communicating directly with the purported sender to confirm if they sent the messages. To check its validity, you can use SecneurX Sandbox to verify the sanity of the email
Avoid clicking embedded links found in unverified emails
Such social engineering tricks can lead to the download of ransomware. Additionally, be wary of sites that prompt you to enter a CAPTCHA code as this could be linked to a ransomware attack. To check its validity, you can use services like SecneurX Sandbox to verify the reputation of the site.
Back up your important files
While prevention is always better than the cure, having a backup of important files can at least lessen the potential damage done by a ransomware attack. While being locked out of your own system is always a bad thing, at least it's not a total disaster since you can always retrieve your important files. The 3-2-1 backup rule applies here—three backup copies of your data on two different media, and one of those copies in a separate location.
Regularly update software, programs, applications
Updating them to the latest versions can provide an added layer of protection against online threats as some ransomware arrive via vulnerability exploits.
Use a layered protection suite
Doing so can detect threats before they enter your network. Security solutions like SecneurX ATP can block Infectious files (like executables (.exe, .run, etc.), archives (ZIP, RAR, etc.), Microsoft Office and PDF documents, JavaScript, and so on) by scanning them at the point of entry of the organizations (File uploads, USB file transfers etc)