Dangerous New “Scarab” Ransomware Identified

A warning to businesses to be on the lookout for the latest ransomware threat, “Scarab” which is making headlines in the UK and around the globe. This variant of the ransomware virus has become part of a large-scale email-based campaign that manages to slip past the defenses of some unsuspecting companies.

Scarab, is distributed through a malicious email campaign. The email uses the subject line “Scanned from {printer company name}. This is similar to a previous version of the Locky ransomware. The email contains a 7zip attachment that contains a VBScript downloader. The virus script has been found to contain several references to Game of Thrones.

Scarab is a relatively new ransomware family that was discovered back in June. Strangely, the note doesn’t specify the amount demanded, instead it tells you “the price depends on how fast you write to us.”

As with all ransomware, Scarab encrypts the victim’s files, making them irrevocable without payment. Most ransomware has a built-in file extension filter that will leave executable files intact.

While antivirus and firewalls are incredibly effective in reducing risk, you need a more robust security solution in place to defend against the increasingly dangerous threat landscape. To be fully protected, companies will need a proper, reliable backup and disaster recovery (BDR) solution with online and offline backup solutions as the ultimate fail-safe against successful attacks.

You want to be vigilant in protecting yourself and your data on a daily basis. Some things to remember are:

• Backup that data. You can never backup too often.
• If you don’t who is sending an attachment, don’t open it.
• If it appears to be from someone you know, verify that they sent you one before opening.
• Install Windows updates as soon as you see them available. They are there for a reason.
• Make sure you are using passwords and don’t use the same password on multiple sites or more than once.

Unfortunately, no matter how strong the security solutions, attacks will continue to slip through the cracks. Therefore, MSPs and MSSPs who are looking to fully-protect their clients must implement a proper, reliable backup and disaster recovery (BDR) solution with online and offline backup solutions as the ultimate fail-safe against successful attacks. Your data is important, don’t let some hacker take it away.

Written by Carl Fransen

posted on November 28, 2017

Carl Fransen

My passion is to make my mark on the world in a positive and lasting way. I want to set an example for my son that his father can compete with integrity in today’s world, be very successful, and leave the world a better place for him.

Combining my technical/business-based education with a long career steadily progressing up the corporate ladder, I decided to build a company that held true to my values. So, I founded and designed the next generation of IT support firm: CTECH Consulting Group Inc. We are a completely automated, cloud-based IT company designed to compete against any other IT firm without the overhead. We promote a lifestyle to all our staff where they can work anywhere, at any time, access any information on any device that is relevant to their job, and collaborate with anyone they want to.