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Lucky Ransomware

A new ransomware, known as Lucky, has been observed targeting Linux servers.

Threat ID:
CC-2816
Category:
Ransomware
Threat Severity:
Medium
Threat Vector:
Published:
29 November 2018 12:00 AM
Report a cyber attack: call 0300 303 5222 or email [email protected]

This content has been archived

This article no longer conforms to NHS Digital's standards for cyber alerts, and may contain outdated or inaccurate information. Use of this information contained in this page is at your own risk

Summary

A new ransomware, known as Lucky, has been observed targeting Linux servers.

Affected platforms

The following platforms are known to be affected:

Linux

Linux Servers

Threat details

At the time of publication, it is unclear how Lucky is being delivered. However, it is known to exploit several vulnerabilities to gain access to affected devices. Once a device has been compromised, an infection script will automatically deploy Lucky.

Once installed, Lucky will read the /tmp/Ssession file and encrypt all system files with extensions matching a hard-coded list. It will then generate a ransom note named _How_To_Decrypt_My_File_.txt and display it in the message of the day section. It will then attempt to propagate locally by scanning for other vulnerable machines on the network.

Analysis of Lucky's source code indicates it can target Windows-based devices, although at the time of publication there have been no confirmed reports of infection.

For further information:

Remediation steps

Type Step

If a device on your network becomes infected with ransomware it will begin encrypting local machine files and files on any network the logged-in user has permission to access. For system administration accounts this may include backup storage locations.

To avoid becoming infected with ransomware, ensure that:

  • All operating systems, anti-virus and other security products are kept up to date.
  • Your organisation adopts a holistic all-round approach to Cyber Security as advocated by the 10 Steps to Cyber Security.

Identifying the source of infection:
Identifying the affected device and disconnecting or quarantining it from the network is essential to damage limitation.

  • Users should immediately report infections to their IT support provider, disconnect their network cable and power the computer down.
  • File auditing should be enabled, and file server logs should be monitored to detect signs of unauthorised encryption and allow the source of encryption to be identified (i.e. the infected device).

To limit the damage of ransomware and enable recovery:
All critical data must be backed up, and these backups must be sufficiently protected/kept out of reach of ransomware.

  • Multiple backups should be created including at least one off-network backup (e.g. to tape).
    The only guaranteed way to recover from a ransomware infection is to restore all affected files from their most recent backup.

Last edited: 17 February 2020 12:59 pm