April 2, 2019 By David Bisson 2 min read

Security researchers discovered a new ransomware family called Unnam3d that moves targeted files into protected RAR archives and demands an Amazon gift card as ransom.

Bleeping Computer first learned about the malware after a user submitted a sample to its site and asked for help in recovering stolen files. Currently distributed via email, the cyberthreat first extracts a bundled WinRar.exe executable to the %Temp% folder. It then executes a command to move the victim’s files stored in Documents, Pictures and Desktop to a specific directory in a password-protected archive. At that point, the ransomware displays a ransom note demanding that the victim send a $50 Amazon gift card in exchange for the archive’s password.

The developer of Unnam3d told Bleeping Computer they conducted an attack campaign near the end of March in which they sent out around 30,000 emails. These messages were disguised as correspondence from Adobe warning the recipient to update their Flash Player software. Clicking on the “update” link subsequently downloaded the ransomware.

Ransomware’s History With Gift Cards and Adobe Flash

Unnam3d isn’t the only cyberthreat that’s demanded gift cards as ransom payments. In March 2017, for instance, researchers at Lookout spotted a scareware campaign in which scammers blocked victims’ use of Mobile Safari until they received an iTunes gift card. In December 2017, Quick Heal Security Labs spotted an Android ransomware family demanding that victims submit an iTunes gift card as their ransom payment.

This also isn’t the first time a threat has masqueraded as an Adobe Flash Player update. For example, Heimdal Security observed attackers using the disguise to distribute Bad Rabbit ransomware back in October 2017. A year later, Palo Alto Networks discovered some threat actors leveraging fake Flash Player updates to push cryptocurrency miners onto unsuspecting users.

How to Defend Against Threats Like Unnam3d

Security professionals can help defend their organizations against threats like Unnam3d by using an endpoint management solution that allows them to inventory all endpoint devices and manage their configurations. Organizations should complement this visibility with a tool that uses artificial intelligence to determine the legitimacy of certain behaviors and mitigate the impact of zero-day malware.

More from

Airplane cybersecurity: Past, present, future

4 min read - With most aviation processes now digitized, airlines and the aviation industry as a whole must prioritize cybersecurity. If a cyber criminal launches an attack that affects a system involved in aviation — either an airline’s system or a third-party vendor — the entire process, from safety to passenger comfort, may be impacted.To improve security in the aviation industry, the FAA recently proposed new rules to tighten cybersecurity on airplanes. These rules would “protect the equipment, systems and networks of transport…

Protecting your digital assets from non-human identity attacks

4 min read - Untethered data accessibility and workflow automation are now foundational elements of most digital infrastructures. With the right applications and protocols in place, businesses no longer need to feel restricted by their lack of manpower or technical capabilities — machines are now filling those gaps.The use of non-human identities (NHIs) to power business-critical applications — especially those used in cloud computing environments or when facilitating service-to-service connections — has opened the doors for seamless operational efficiency. Unfortunately, these doors aren’t the…

Communication platforms play a major role in data breach risks

4 min read - Every online activity or task brings at least some level of cybersecurity risk, but some have more risk than others. Kiteworks Sensitive Content Communications Report found that this is especially true when it comes to using communication tools.When it comes to cybersecurity, communicating means more than just talking to another person; it includes any activity where you are transferring data from one point online to another. Companies use a wide range of different types of tools to communicate, including email,…

Topic updates

Get email updates and stay ahead of the latest threats to the security landscape, thought leadership and research.
Subscribe today