Serpent Ransomware | Silent and Deadly | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

A new ransomware called Serpent is attacking Danish users, encrypting files and demanding a high ransom payment in Bitcoin.

Key Insights

• 👶 Serpent is a new ransomware that specifically targets Danish users.
• 🍻 It is delivered through a document with a malicious macro and a separate payload link.
• 😒 The ransomware uses advanced encryption methods, making it difficult to recover encrypted files.
• ✋ The ransom demanded by Serpent is higher compared to other contemporary ransomware.
• ❓ Serpent is believed to be the successor of Hades Locker and Wannacry ransomware.
• 🤗 The delivery mechanism of Serpent does not require any user action other than opening a document.
• 👤 Being a cautious user may not guarantee protection against sophisticated ransomware like Serpent.

Transcript

Proofpoint have discovered a new ransomware called serpent that has been attacking Danish users let's take a look at it the original delivery mechanism of the transom work involves using a document linked with a malicious macro the macro in turn points to a separate payload link which drops an executable the document link appears to be down but we ... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: What is the delivery mechanism for the Serpent ransomware?

The ransomware is delivered through a document with a malicious macro that leads to a separate payload link and an executable.

Q: Can the files encrypted by Serpent be recovered?

As of now, there is no known decryption method for Serpent, and the only option is to pay the ransom demanded by the cyber criminals.

Q: How much is the ransom for Serpent?

The ransom for Serpent is initially 0.75 bitcoins for 7 days, but it increases to 2.25 bitcoins after that period.

Q: Is Serpent considered to be a sophisticated ransomware?

Yes, Proofpoint describes Serpent as a sophisticated ransomware, possibly explaining the high ransom price.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Proofpoint has discovered a new ransomware called Serpent that targets Danish users.

• The delivery mechanism involves a document with a malicious macro, which leads to a separate payload link and an executable that encrypts files.

• The ransomware uses sophisticated encryption methods and demands a high ransom in Bitcoin.