Crysis creeps: Our ransomware locks network drives and PCs. Bargain

Gap in 'market' exploited by miscreants

Cybercrooks have put together a new strain of ransomware that lifts corporate data as well as encrypting files on compromised computers.

Crysis grabs admin privileges, collects the victim computer's name and some encrypted files before uploading them to a remote command and control server.

The ransomware encrypts files on both the compromised PC and accessible network drives.

The malware spreads in attachments to spam emails, using double file extensions or as seemingly innocent installers, net security firm ESET reports.

Crysis ransomware demand screen. Source: ESET blog post

Crooks demand between $450 and more than $1,000 for a decryptor, payable in Bitcoin. ESET reckons the miscreants behind Crysis are seeking to exploit a gap in the market created by the recent TeslaCrypt takedown.

The file-extraction aspect of the new threat was reported to El Reg by security awareness training firm KnowBe4. ®