We are used to seeing many varieties of malware that can compromise the safety of users. In this article we echo a new one. It’s about Vovalex and it has some quirks. It can be distributed through software that masquerades as Windows utilities. We are going to give some tips to avoid being victims of these types of threats.
Vovalex, the new ransomware that affects Windows
As we know, the ransomware aims to encrypt the files or systems of the victims. In this way you can ask for a financial rescue in exchange for releasing them and thus obtain a profit. Over time they have been perfected and each time they have newer methods to reach the victim.
This time it’s about Vovalex. According to the security researchers who discovered it, it could be the first ransomware written in D. It is distributed through software that masquerades as Windows utilities, programs that can improve performance. An example is CCleaner.
It should be noted that the D language draws on others, mainly C ++, with some additions that offer greater practicality. Vovalex, according to the researchers behind its discovery, would be the first ransomware written in this language. It was first discovered by MalwareHunterTeam .
This threat runs as if it were a legitimate installer. For example from the CCleaner program, as we mentioned earlier. It will then be copied to the system and will begin to encrypt files on the drive and add the .vovalex extension to all of them.
Once it has finished its process, and as usual in malware of this type, it adds a ransom note on the Windows Desktop that will be called README.VOVALEX.txt . A simple text file where it informs the victim of how to regain control of the files. At the moment it is unknown if there is a tool to decrypt the files for free.
Vovalex is distributed mainly through pirted software. Free programs that users find on the Internet, files to bypass the password, etc. It masquerades as utilities that users can install on Windows.
How to avoid becoming a victim of Vovalex
It is important to take into account certain tips to avoid being victims of Vovalex, although we could also apply them to protect ourselves from any other similar threat that could endanger us and compromise our systems.
The first is common sense . We have seen that Vovalex arrives on our computer after having downloaded some pirted program for Windows. Therefore, something we must bear in mind is the importance of avoiding this type of pirted software that we can download from illegitimate sites. They could contain malicious software, such as this ransomware. But we must also pay attention to possible attachments that reach us by e-mail.
On the other hand, having a good antivirus can help us. There are many threats that are present on the network and this type of security software helps us prevent problems. No matter what operating system we use, we must always have security tools.
Also, another important tip is to keep your equipment up to date . Many of these threats take advantage of existing vulnerabilities. We can correct them with patches and updates that are always available. You can see a complete tutorial with tips against ransomware.
