What Is Ryuk Ransomware Attack, How Can I Protect Myself And Remove It?

What is the Ryuk ransomware attack? How can I protect myself and remove it? Who is behind this ransomware and who are Ryuk’s targets?

What is Ryuk ransomware?

Ryuk is a new ransomware that encrypts the victim’s files and demands payment to decrypt them.

Ransomware enters the computer through phishing emails that contain malicious attachments or links to malware-laden websites.

Attachments are disguised as PDF files or Microsoft Office documents.

The link directs victims to a website that downloads the malware onto the victim’s computer.

It was first seen in August 2018 but has already been linked to attacks on public institutions, universities, and government agencies.

In June 2020, the FBI alerted that Ryuk ransomware operators were targeting K-12 educational institutions.

Who is behind Ryuk ransomware?

Avast antivirus publishes about the authorship of Ryuk ransomware:

“It’s unknown who is behind Ryuk ransomware, but most sources point to Wizard Spider, an underground network of cybercriminals based primarily in Russia”. 

Ryuk Ransomware Group

Cybersecurity experts link Ryuk ransomware to the Hermes strain from 2017.

When did Ryuk start?

Ryuk ransomware is a new form of malware that was first discovered in August 2018.

It is the first of its kind because it was created to target cryptocurrency investors.

What is Ryuk ransomware attack?

The Ryuk ransomware attack is one of the most recent cybercrimes to be discovered and reported in the media.

Its main goal is to prevent users from accessing their files and requesting a ransom.

The victim must understand that the ransom should never be paid and contact a specialized ransomware decryption company.

HelpRansomware is specialized in ransomware removal, cyber security, and decryption.

What does Ryuk malware do?

Ryuk is ransomware that encrypts files and then demands payment to decrypt them.

It spreads via spam emails, so detecting if you haven’t installed an updated antivirus can be challenging.

The encryption process occurs when Ryuk ransomware downloads a server configuration file and executes it on the victim’s system.

The main goal of Ryuk is to steal information from infected computers, including cryptocurrency walle ts and passwords.

How does Ryuk ransomware get in?

Ryuk ransomware can enter your computer in various ways, such as phishing emails or fake software updates, among other methods.

Once the file is executed, it will start to encrypt the files.

How is Ryuk ransomware distributed?

Ryuk ransomware is distributed via email phishing campaigns, exploit kits, and spam emails.

This ransomware will also disable the victim’s antivirus software, preventing it from detecting and removing the malware.

The compromised system will continually encrypt files with a randomly generated AES-256 cryptographic key if the virus is not removed.

The encryption process will continue until the hard drive is whole or an administrator can restore the computer to its original state.

Does Ryuk ransomware steal data?

As in all types of ransomware, the function is not to steal the data but to encrypt it and demand a ransom using a note.

Although hackers demand payment in exchange for decryption, the victim must understand that this is not the way out.

Accepting extortion is encouraging cyberattacks.

In addition, hackers interpret the payment as a vulnerability of the company.

HelpRansomware offers cybersecurity services to help businesses, professionals, and administrations remove ransomware and recover data.

Does Ryuk affect Linux?

Yes, Ryuk ransomware affects Linux. Its powerful and dangerous ransomware encrypts data and demands a ransom to recover encrypted files.

The malware uses an AES-256 encryption algorithm, which makes it impossible to crack without the key or decryption software.

Who are Ryuk’s targets?

This ransomware is usually used against organizations like hospitals, schools, and businesses.

But there are cases where it also infects home computers.

How many hospitals have been hacked?

The report from the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) indicated that 75% of ransomware attacks on the health sector in October 2020 in the United States were carried out by Ryuk.

How can I remove Ryuk?

The best way to remove Ryuk is to use a reputable antimalware program like Malwarebytes, Norton, or Avast.

This problem occurs when the ransomware has encrypted the data. The following section explains what to do in this case.

Can Ryuk be cracked?

Yes, there are ways to decrypt ransomware files if you have enough technical knowledge on how to do it.

One way is to use Shadow Volume Copies (SVCs) of files before they are encrypted.

These copies are stored on the volume and are automatically created each time you make changes to the files.

In this way, you can restore data from backups, decrypting them and giving you access to them again.

In case Ryuk has encrypted your files, HelpRansomware recommends the following:

• Shut down or disconnect the computer from the network;
• Do not contact cyber criminals;
• Do not pay the ransom to recover data

Finally, get a specialized company that ensures decryption and can open encrypted files.

HelpRansomware has helped thousands of businesses and administrations recover from ransomware attacks.

Why choose HelpRansomware to decrypt Ryuk files:

• They do not pay ransoms or negotiate with extortionists;
• 100% guarantee: no data recovered, no charges;
• They remove the ransomware and recover the data.

HelpRansomware is the number 1 company in the world and is part of the ReputationUP group, the world leader in ORMs.

Examples of Ryuk ransomware attacks

Below are examples of Ryuk ransomware attacks:

• In May 2021, the Volue company was attacked by ransomware of this type:

“The ransomware attack on Volue Technology (“Powel”) was caused by Ryuk, a type of malware usually known for targeting large, public-entity Microsoft Windows systems”. 

The attack affected the water supply of hundreds of municipalities in Norway; 

• The Baltimore County School System was attacked in November 2020 by Ryuk ransomware.

Although public officials did not officially state the incident, they did communicate with The Baltimore Sun:

“This caused a systemic disruption to our network information systems”.

The ransomware attack affected the data of 115,000 students;

• Legal services company Epiq Global was attacked by ransomware in February 2020:

“We have confirmed that the RYUK ransomware protocol was used in this attack”.

Worldwide customer data is blocked;

• The Massachusetts city of New Bedford suffered a Ryuk attack in July 2019.

The New Bedford City Council confirmed the incident:

“158 computer workstations, or 4 percent of the total of the City’s computers, were found to be affected by the attack”;

• La Porte County is another example of a municipality affected by Ryuk.

They paid $130,000 to decrypt the files.

The primary victims of ransomware are corporations and administrations, such as the Conti attack on the Government of Costa Rica recently.

How can I protect myself against Ryuk?

There are many ways to protect yourself against Ryuk:

• Use antimalware software;
• Change passwords regularly;
• Avoid suspicious links and attachments, and do not open them if you do not know the sender;
• Have a backup copy of the data to recover them later;
• Have good antivirus and antimalware software.

In general, it isn’t easy to protect yourself from ransomware due to its constant updating and creation of new typologies.

Conclusions

In this guide, you have solved the Ryuk ransomware attack, how to protect yourself, and how to remove it.

The following conclusions can be drawn from this article:

• Ryuk ransomware aims to encrypt data for ransom;
• Behind this guy is Wizard Spider;
• Experts associate this ransomware with the Hermes strain;
• Ryuk can enter through phishing or fake software;
• It is primarily used against organizations, hospitals, schools, and businesses;
• There are different ways to decrypt ransomware if the user has technical knowledge;
• Backups or antimalware are ways to protect yourself from Ryuk ransomware.

Even if you can remove the ransomware, you must go to a specialized company for file decryption.

HelpRansomware is the leading ransomware removal, data recovery, forensics, decryption, and cybersecurity company.