Researchers Outsmart DarkBit Ransomware: Free File Recovery Now Possible!
Researchers at cybersecurity firm Profero cracked the DarkBit ransomware encryption, allowing victims to recover files for free. While the decryptor isn’t released yet, Profero’s genius involves exploiting weak key generation and leveraging file sparsity. Now, victims can rejoice as they recover files without paying a single Bitcoin to these digital highwaymen.
Hot Take:
In the epic showdown between good and evil, or in this case, cybersecurity nerds vs. shadowy ransomware villains, the nerds have scored a major win! Profero has cracked the encryption used by DarkBit ransomware, giving victims a free pass to recover their files. It’s like finding out you can skip paying for your overpriced coffee because the barista accidentally gave you a free voucher. Cheers to the cyber warriors wielding their keyboards like Excalibur!
Key Points:
- Profero cracked DarkBit ransomware encryption, aiding free file recovery.
- The ransomware was linked to Iran’s MuddyWater APT group.
- Profero used file timestamps and VMDK headers to reduce keyspace for brute-forcing.
- The method is not scalable as each VMDK file took a day to decrypt.
- Profero leveraged the sparsity of VMDK files to recover most data directly.