Shark Ransomware Modified for making Atom Affiliate Ransomware

The infamously-known project Shark Ransomware Project of late took up a new name as well as domain for itself so it's presently referred to as Atom, an associate malware of Shark.

This re-brand has been done primarily to make the ransom software begin from scratch following the repeated negative reviews it earned that naturally caused its reputation to go down. Several articles wrote badly about it, including VirusGuides.com that expressed doubt in its ad distribution campaign.

The time Shark made its debut as a malware it was unlike other RaaS (Ransomware-as-a-Service) provider because it did not use the anonymous web-hosting service Tor for its website rather it was hosted via freely-accessible Internet. VirusGuides.com posted this, September 13, 2016.

Interestingly, by providing certain ransomware builder service to Web-surfers, Shark let anybody use this service to craft his own edition of the ransomware. Thus, miscreants became capable for customizing Shark as they desired following which they could utilize 'exploit' kits/spam for contaminating victims.

Meanwhile, PC-owners submitting the ransom unknowingly transmitted the fund for filling the Bitcoin wallet of Shark's creator who'd retain 20% of it while send over the remaining to his helper the individual doing the task of infecting the users.

Unfortunately when an end-user accesses Shark's web-page he'd get diverted onto one fresh site serving the Atom.

Atom's operation is quite like that of Shark because it too provides a builder to craft payload as well as works the 20:80 percent Bitcoin sharing tactic. Nevertheless, Atom shows a big change by utilizing one pretty good user-interface for creating an Atom version rather than the builder which Shark utilized that was terminal-reliant. With Shark's builder, end-users were required qualifying customization settings through instruction-based links. The builder produced Shark's payload which's that executable file the ransomware authors finally served to victims, however, it as well showed the Shark's campaign ID.

Nevertheless, despite all things, the ransomware yet again demands that victims pay to Atom's developers by filling their Bitcoin wallet. But, there's no certainty that Atom infectors would get their 80% share for, Atom developers may suddenly close their operation, keeping the entire amount of the extracted fund.

» SPAMfighter News - 9/20/2016