RaaS/Ransomware counter-measures

[Lob]

During the recent SN episode covering yet more Ransomware/RaaS, I had some thoughts as to ways to fight the bad guys. Of course this is on the basis that you may know that you could be exploited and be prepared for that eventuality and react.

1. Have Canary Tokens on your network to be encrypted too (or encrypt them with the malware). All you need to do is send the file in their "proof that decryption can happen" phase and <bingo> you have their IP address
2. Use a security firm to create a malware-infected file that will infect them and allow you to attack back once they decrypt and view the file

Obviously these are somewhat tongue-in-cheek as the best protection is preventive; having controls from the perimeter inwards that make the malware less likely to succeed, using temporary or separate privileged accounts and do not allow your servers access to the Internet (as a whole, if you have a DMZ then isolate the hosts in that network - or outsource certain parts of it). Separate your data from the application hosts and have 3/2/1 backups. Stopping encryption and stopping exfiltration is key.

 

[miquelfire]

That assumes they actually open the files they decrypt.

 

[doopy]

That assumes they actually open the files they decrypt.

And that they're opening it on vulnerable and non-virtualized system. I know if I was in that line of work, I'd be using something like Qubes OS for it.

I don't think they'd even open it though. They'd probably just send back the decrypted file without looking at it. Their top priority is the money, not so much the data itself.