Recovery of files affected by Waiting Ransomware

Waiting Ransomware attacks are becoming increasingly common and can have devastating effects on businesses and individuals alike. Here are some steps you can take to help prevent a ransomware attack:

1. Keep your software up to date: Make sure your operating system, web browser, and other software are all up to date with the latest security patches. Many ransomware attacks exploit vulnerabilities in older software versions.
2. Use strong passwords: Use long, complex passwords and two-factor authentication to protect your accounts from unauthorised access. Avoid using the same password for multiple accounts.
3. Be cautious of suspicious emails: Phishing emails are a common way for ransomware to infiltrate systems. Be wary of emails from unknown senders or emails that contain unexpected attachments or links.
4. Back up your data: Regularly back up your important files to an external hard drive or cloud storage service. This can help you restore your data in case of a ransomware attack.
5. Install antivirus software: Install reputable antivirus software on your computer and keep it up to date. Antivirus software can detect and prevent many types of malware, including ransomware.
6. Limit access to sensitive information: Limit access to sensitive information only to those who need it. This can help reduce the risk of accidental exposure or intentional theft.
7. Train employees: Educate your employees about ransomware and how to avoid it. Teach them to be cautious of suspicious emails and to report any potential security threats to IT.

By following these steps, you can help reduce the risk of a Waiting ransomware attack and protect your data and systems.

The most common means of access used by Waiting 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.

High consumption of processing, memory and disk access are suspicious behaviours that need to be investigated thoroughly in order to assess whether an attack is underway.

The Waiting ransomware uses the machine’s own resources to perform exfiltration. In order to encrypt the machine this demands the use of its own resources.

It is also possible to detect the attack by the changes made to the file extensions, this type of detection is a bit more complex because the encryption process will have already been started.

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 Waiting  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.