Decrypt Money Message ransomware files

Preventing a Money Message ransomware attack requires a comprehensive cybersecurity framework, but that’s not all, let’s list some important points that you need to pay attention to.

• Organisation – Having documentation of the IT park helps a lot in the prevention process, in addition to the inventory of networks and computers. Develop rules so that new employees have clear company policy on the installation and use of programmes on computers.
• Strong Passwords – Passwords should be strong, containing more than 8 digits, including special ones. And do not use a single password for multiple credentials.
• Security Solutions – Have a good antivirus installed, keep all programmes up to date, especially the operating system. Besides the antivirus solution, you need a Firewall and endpoints. They will make sure that the system stays protected.
• Beware of suspicious emails – One of the most used means for invasion used by hacker groups are spam email campaigns, so it is vital to create a security and awareness policy for employees not to download attached files sent by unknown emails.
• Efficient backup policies – Backups are essential for any eventual incident, but even with this essential role many companies neglect it or create a backup schedule that is not effective. We have already assisted several clients that not only the data was encrypted, but also the backups. It is not recommended to keep online backups only. The best backup structure is 3x2x1, which is 3 backups, 2 online and 1 offline, in addition to creating a consistent routine of updating the backups.
• Beware of unofficial programmes – There are numerous paid programmes that are made available for free on the Internet, such as Windows, Office and many others. They may appear to be free at first, but in the future can be used as a gateway for future hacker attacks. Even if official programmes demand financial resources, they are a good investment and are also secure.

The most common means of access used by Money Message hackers to break into environments is through exploiting vulnerabilities in software, hardware, or human behaviour. This can include:

1. Phishing attacks: Hackers use fraudulent emails, social media messages, or phone calls to trick individuals into revealing their login credentials or other sensitive information.
2. Password attacks: Hackers use various techniques, such as brute force or dictionary attacks, to guess or crack passwords.
3. Malware: Hackers use malicious software, such as viruses, worms, or Trojans, to infect computers or other devices and gain access to sensitive data.
4. Software vulnerabilities: Hackers use known vulnerabilities in software, such as operating systems, web servers, or applications, to gain unauthorised access to a system.
5. Misconfigured or unpatched systems: Hackers exploit weaknesses in system configurations or outdated software that has not been patched or updated to gain access.
6. Social engineering: Hackers use social engineering techniques, such as pretexting or baiting, to manipulate individuals into divulging sensitive information or granting access to secure systems.

To reduce the risk of a successful attack, it’s important to implement security best practises, such as strong passwords, two-factor authentication, regular software updates and patches, employee security awareness training, and the use of security tools like firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and antivirus software.

Yes, there are several behaviours of your server that you can analyse to determine if you are being attacked by Money Message ransomware:

1. High resource usage: If your server’s processing, memory, and disk usage are significantly higher than usual, it could indicate that ransomware is actively encrypting files or exfiltrating data.
2. Changes in file extensions: Money Message Ransomware often renames files with a new extension, such as .encrypted or .locked. If you notice such changes, it may be a sign that your server has been attacked.
3. Unusual network traffic: Money Message Ransomware needs to communicate with its command and control (C&C) server to receive instructions and report back on its progress. Analysing network traffic for unusual connections or data transfers can help you identify potential ransomware activity.
4. Suspicious login attempts: Money Message Ransomware attackers often gain access to a server through phishing emails or brute force attacks on weak passwords. Monitoring your server’s login attempts and blocking suspicious activity can help prevent ransomware attacks.
5. Unusual system modifications: Money Message Ransomware may make modifications to your server’s operating system or file system to carry out its attack. Keep an eye out for any changes to system files, registry entries, or other critical components.

By analysing these behaviours, you can potentially detect and prevent a Money Message ransomware attack on your server. It’s important to stay vigilant and implement security measures to protect against ransomware and other cyber threats.

The data will remain encrypted, it will be necessary for the affected machine to be formatted. By doing so all stored data will be lost.

But in cases where the Money Message  group uses the double extortion tactic of copying and extracting all files and encrypting the original data, the stolen files will be posted on the group’s website or Dark Web forums and all original data will remain encrypted on the affected device, requiring the device to be formatted.