NewShell ransomware spotted in the wild

The SonicWall Threats Research team observed reports of a new variant family of NewShell Ransomware [GAV: NewShell.RSM] actively spreading in the wild.

NewShell encrypts the victims files with a strong encryption algorithm until the victim pays a fee to get them back.

Infection Cycle:

The Trojan adds the following keys to the Windows registry startup:

Once the computer is compromised, the malware copies its own executable file to C:tmp folder and runs following commands:

The malware downloads following image from its own server and set it as backgroud wallpaper.

The Malware encrypts all personal documents and files it shows the following webpage:

It demands that victims pay using Bitcoin in order to receive the decryption key that allows them to recover their files.

The malware adds ‘.enc’ extension all target files.

Command and Control (C&C) Traffic

NewShell performs C&C communication over HTTP protocol.

The malware sends HTTP request to its own C&C server with following formats, here is an example:

SonicWall Gateway AntiVirus provides protection against this threat via the following signatures:

• GAV: NewShell.RSM (Trojan)

Security News

The SonicWall Capture Labs Threat Research Team gathers, analyzes and vets cross-vector threat information from the SonicWall Capture Threat network, consisting of global devices and resources, including more than 1 million security sensors in nearly 200 countries and territories. The research team identifies, analyzes, and mitigates critical vulnerabilities and malware daily through in-depth research, which drives protection for all SonicWall customers. In addition to safeguarding networks globally, the research team supports the larger threat intelligence community by releasing weekly deep technical analyses of the most critical threats to small businesses, providing critical knowledge that defenders need to protect their networks.