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	"title": "Emotet 101: How the Ransomware Works -- and Why It's So Darn Effective",
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	"plain_text": "Emotet 101: How the Ransomware Works -- and Why It's So Darn\nEffective\nBy Samuel Greengard\nPublished: 2020-10-09 · Archived: 2026-04-06 03:19:57 UTC\n5 Min Read\n(Image: [Alexander Limbach](\u003chttps://stock.adobe.com/contributor/200563905/sergey-peterman?\nload_type=author\u0026prev_url=detail\u003e) via Adobe Stock)\nRansomware has emerged as a primary threat to organizations of all shapes and sizes. According to \"The State of\nRansomware 2020\" report by cybersecurity firm Sophos, 51% of organizations have been hit by ransomware\nattacks within the past year, and the average cost to remediate an attack has reached $761,106 globally.\nWhile numerous types of ransomware exist, one of the more prominent and dangerous versions is Emotet. Emotet\nis a \"key component\" in ransomware campaigns, noted security firm Mimecast in its 2020 \"Threat Intelligence\nReport.\" And, per Proofpoint, the most common countries targeted include Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the\nUnited States, the United Kingdom, and Canada.\nWhat Is Emotet?\nEmotet is a Trojan available through a malware-as-a-service (MaaS) model. This means cybercriminals can\ndownload a package, often for a few hundred dollars or a monthly subscription fee, and direct attacks to\nbusinesses and individuals.\nThe initial payload — which is typically delivered via e-mail, infected documents, or websites — unleashes a\nscript, macro, or code that operates as a worm that infects various software applications and systems, such as an\nhttps://www.darkreading.com/edge/theedge/emotet-101-how-the-ransomware-works----and-why-its-so-darn-effective/b/d-id/1339124\nPage 1 of 3\n\nOutlook address book or a cloud-based container.\r\n\"In many cases, Emotet often sits idle for 30 to 45 days before it launches a ransomware attack,\" notes Keith\r\nMularski, managing director in the cybersecurity practice at consulting firm EY.\r\nEmotet is highly effective because it continually downloads malware components as it wends its way through\r\nsystems, Mularski says. Many conventional security tools, such as firewalls, aren't effective against it because\r\nEmotet creates encrypted channels that network defenses can't detect.\r\nThen, once Emotet has captured and encrypted files, cyberthieves demand a ransom, often paid through\r\nuntraceable cybercurrency, such as Bitcoin. Remarkably, \"Cybercriminals operate Emotet very much like a\r\nbusiness, including offering customer support,\" says John Shier, senior security adviser at Sophos.\r\nWhat Does an Attack Look Like?\r\nTypically, an infection occurs when someone clicks on a link in an e-mail, often through a phishing attack. This\r\ndirects the user to a site or service that downloads the initial \"dropper.\" Once this macro or code resides on a\r\ncomputer, it begins to seek out other connected computers and spread, further distributing the malware.\r\nFrequently, it uses Microsoft Outlook to generate e-mails.\r\nAs Emotet infects systems, it conducts brute-force attacks on accounts, seeking to crack passwords and gain\r\naccess to secure data, Shier notes. At some point, it captures and encrypts these files. Once cybercriminals hold\r\nthe encrypted data — and the business is locked out — they demand a ransom. The price tag can range from a few\r\nthousand dollars to millions of dollars. According to the Sophos report, 94% of organizations ultimately regain\r\ncontrol of their data but at an average cost of $732,520 per incident.\r\nWhy Is Emotet so Effective?\r\nEmotet exists in several different versions and incorporates a modular design. This makes it more difficult to\r\nidentify and block. It uses social engineering techniques to gain entry into systems, and it is good at avoiding\r\ndetection. What's more, Emotet campaigns are constantly evolving. Some versions steal banking credentials and\r\nhighly sensitive enterprise data, which cybercrooks may threaten to release publicly.\r\n\"This may serve as additional leverage to pay the ransom,\" Shier explains.\r\nAn initial e-mail may look like it originated from a trusted source, such as a manager or top company executive,\r\nor it may offer a link to what appears to be a legitimate site or service. It usually relies on file compression\r\ntechniques, such as ZIP, that spread the infection through various file formats, including .doc, docx, and .exe. This\r\nhides the actual file name as it moves around within a network.\r\nThese documents may contain phrases such as \"payment details\" or \"please update your human resources file\" to\r\ntrick recipients into activating payloads. Some messages have recently revolved around COVID-19. They often\r\narrive from a legitimate e-mail address within the company — and they can include both benign and infected files.\r\nWhat's more, Emotet can detect the environment it is running in. For example, it knows when it resides inside a\r\nvirtual machine (VM) and stays dormant to avoid detection from malware scanners.\r\nEmotet uses command-and-control (C2) servers to receive updates surreptitiously. This allows attackers to update\r\nthe malware code and plant other Trojans. It's also possible to clean a computer but then have the malware\r\nhttps://www.darkreading.com/edge/theedge/emotet-101-how-the-ransomware-works----and-why-its-so-darn-effective/b/d-id/1339124\r\nPage 2 of 3\n\nreappear.\r\nHow Can You Combat Emotet?\r\nThere are a number of ways to reduce the risk of an infection — and the resulting problems Emotet causes, Shier\r\nsays. First, it's wise to deploy security software that identifies and blocks potentially dangerous e-mails. It's also\r\ncritical to secure all managed and unmanaged devices connecting to the network. Other protections include strong\r\npasswords and multifactor authentication, consistent patching, and the use of threat intelligence software. Finally,\r\nemployees must learn how to spot suspicious e-mails.\r\nUnfortunately, ransomware — and Emotet — aren't going to disappear anytime soon. In recent weeks, it has\r\nemerged as the most common form of ransomware. Says Mularski: \"The attacks are becoming more sophisticated.\r\nThey represent a very real risk to all businesses.\"\r\nAbout the Author\r\nFreelance Writer\r\nSamuel Greengard writes about business, technology, and cybersecurity for numerous magazines and websites. He\r\nis author of the books \"The Internet of Things\" and \"Virtual Reality\" (MIT Press).\r\nSource: https://www.darkreading.com/edge/theedge/emotet-101-how-the-ransomware-works----and-why-its-so-darn-effective/b/d-id/1339124\r\nhttps://www.darkreading.com/edge/theedge/emotet-101-how-the-ransomware-works----and-why-its-so-darn-effective/b/d-id/1339124\r\nPage 3 of 3",
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		"https://www.darkreading.com/edge/theedge/emotet-101-how-the-ransomware-works----and-why-its-so-darn-effective/b/d-id/1339124"
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