Martin graduated with a degree in Publishing from Sofia University. As a cyber security enthusiast he enjoys writing about the latest threats and mechanisms of intrusion.
Martin graduated with a degree in Publishing from Sofia University. As a cyber security enthusiast he enjoys writing about the latest threats and mechanisms of intrusion.
Martin graduated with a degree in Publishing from Sofia University. As a cyber security enthusiast he enjoys writing about the latest threats and mechanisms of intrusion.
Note! Your computer might be affected by CyberGod Scarab and other threats.
Threats such as CyberGod Scarab may be persistent on your system. They tend to re-appear if not fully deleted. A malware removal tool like SpyHunter will help you to remove malicious programs, saving you the time and the struggle of tracking down numerous malicious files. SpyHunter’s scanner is free but the paid version is needed to remove the malware threats. Read SpyHunter’s EULA and Privacy Policy
Martin graduated with a degree in Publishing from Sofia University. As a cyber security enthusiast he enjoys writing about the latest threats and mechanisms of intrusion.
CyberGod Scarab Virus is a new test release belonging to the Scarab ransomware family. The collected samples indicate that a new hacker or a criminal collective has acquired the source code of the family and is creating new versions of it . Our article provides an overview of the virus operations and it also may be helpful in attempting to remove the virus.
Threat Summary
Name
CyberGod Scarab
Type
Ransomware, Cryptovirus
Short Description
The ransomware encrypts sensitive information on your computer system with the .CYBERGOD extensions and demands a ransom to be paid to allegedly recover them.
Symptoms
The ransomware will encrypt your files with a strong encryption algorithm.
Distribution Method
Spam Emails, Email Attachments
Detection Tool
See If Your System Has Been Affected by CyberGod Scarab
Windows Data Recovery by Stellar Phoenix Notice! This product scans your drive sectors to recover lost files and it may not recover 100% of the encrypted files, but only few of them, depending on the situation and whether or not you have reformatted your drive.
CyberGod Scarab Virus – Distribution Methods
CyberGod Scarab virus is a newly released sample belonging to the Scarab ransomware family. The initial reports indicate that a small set of samples have been released possibly indicating a test release.
The hackers can make use of SPAM email messages that contain social engineering tricks. They attempt to coerce the users into interacting with a dangerous element by believing that they have received a legitimate message from a well-known or service. The messages may signal that they are software update reminders, password reset forms or other common emails. The CyberGod Scarab strains may be attached directly as attachments or linked in the body contents.
Another strategy that is popular with Scarab ransomware threats is the construction of fake download sites — they copy the design and contents of popular portals and vendor download sites. Along with the email messages they are a popular method for spreading out infected payloads. Two of the most popular ones are the following:
Software Installers — The CyberGod Scarab virus can be embedded in installers of popular software. The criminals take the original files and modify them with the associated virus code. Popular targets are system utilities, creativity suites and productivity applications.
Documents — The same strategy can be applied to documents of all kinds: presentations, rich text documents, spreadsheets and databases. Once they are opened by the victim users a prompt will appear asking them to enable the built-in macros. When this is done the virus infection will follow.
Additional measures used by the criminals behind the CyberGod Scarab virus malicious scripts that can be integrated in both the hacker-controlled sites and legitimate communities. This includes both redirect scripts, in-body links, pop-ups and banners.
Advanced spread campaigns may also use browser hijackers to further increase the number of infected machines. They are dangerous plugins made for the most popular web browsers. They are advertised using fake developer credentials, user reviews and an elaborate description promising many new feature additions. Once they are installed the extensions will change the default settings (home page, search engine and new tabs page) to redirect the users to a hacker-controlled page. Following this the virus infection will follow.
CyberGod Scarab Virus – In-Depth Analysis
At the onset of infections the CyberGod Scarab virus will start its built-in behavior pattern. The Scarab ransomware family is well-known for having a modular framework allowing it to be fine tuned according to the exact instructions of the hackers.
One of the first modules that are activated is the data harvesting component. It is programmed to look out for specific strings that are sent to the hacker operators automatically. This includes information that can expose the victim users identity by collecting data such as their names, address, phone number, location, interests and account credentials. Other information includes campaign metrics that are used by the controllers to optimize their next attacks. The harvested information is made up of a report giving details on the installed hardware components, certain user-set settings and operating system values.
The collected information can then be used by another component called stealth protection. It uses the harvested data to scan for applications and system services that can interfere with the correct execution of the threat. This includes all kinds of anti-virus products, sandbox environments or virtual machine hosts. The threat can block their real-time engines or altogether delete them to suppress discovery of the infection.
When this is complete the CyberGod Scarab virus will proceed with the actual operating system changes. Some of the most common modifications include the following:
Persistent Installation — The ransomware can be installed as a persistent threat which means that the virus code will be automatically launched when the computer is powered on. It can also disable the execution of certain services and access to the boot recovery menu. This will render certain manual removal instructions useless, in these cases the users will need to resort to a professional anti-spyware utility.
Windows Registry Modifications — The virus engine can also modify the Windows Registry entries belonging both to the operating system and the user-installed applications. This can result in overall performance decline and the inability to start certain functions.
Trojan Module — Many ransomware also include the ability to setup a Trojan infection on the compromised hosts. It establishes a secure connection to a hacker-controlled server. It allows the operators to spy on the victims in real time, steal their files and take over control of the machines at any given time. Furthermore they allow the hackers to deploy additional threats to the victims.
Data Removal — The CyberGod Scarab virus can be programmed into deleting the information such as the System Restore data and identified Shadow Volume Copies. This will make system restore difficult unless the users resort to a professional backup & restore solution.
The criminals can add other modules as required.
CyberGod Scarab Virus — Encryption
The Scarab ransomware family and the associated CyberGod Scarab virus use a common behavior pattern. Based on a built-in list of target file extensions system data is encrypted with a strong cipher. An example list can affect the following files:
Archives
Backups
Databases
Music
Videos
Documents
The modified files are renamed with the .CYBERGOD extension as per standard Scarab renaming policies. Updated version of this particular strain may continue to use this suffix or add other elements such as a victim ID.
The associated ransomware note called From Jobe Smith.TXT which reads the following message:
I am The Lawnmower Man!
And i can make you forget everything you got here! Or you can make offer for me on my mail: [email protected] or [email protected] To show you my almighty power I can decrypt few files for you But dont forget to send me your ID! Have a nice Day!
Remove CyberGod Scarab Ransomware Virus and Restore .CYBERGOD Files
If your computer got infected with the CyberGod Scarab ransomware virus, you should have a bit of experience in removing malware. You should get rid of this ransomware as quickly as possible before it can have the chance to spread further and infect other computers. You should remove the ransomware and follow the step-by-step instructions guide provided below.
Note! Your computer system may be affected by CyberGod Scarab and other threats. Scan Your PC with SpyHunter SpyHunter is a powerful malware removal tool designed to help users with in-depth system security analysis, detection and removal of threats such as CyberGod Scarab. Keep in mind, that SpyHunter’s scanner is only for malware detection. If SpyHunter detects malware on your PC, you will need to purchase SpyHunter’s malware removal tool to remove the malware threats. Read our SpyHunter 5 review. Click on the corresponding links to check SpyHunter’s EULA, Privacy Policy and Threat Assessment Criteria.
To remove CyberGod Scarab follow these steps:
1. Boot Your PC In Safe Mode to isolate and remove CyberGod Scarab files and objects
OFFER
Manual Removal Usually Takes Time and You Risk Damaging Your Files If Not Careful!
We Recommend To Scan Your PC with SpyHunter
Keep in mind, that SpyHunter’s scanner is only for malware detection. If SpyHunter detects malware on your PC, you will need to purchase SpyHunter’s malware removal tool to remove the malware threats. Read our SpyHunter 5 review. Click on the corresponding links to check SpyHunter’s EULA, Privacy Policy and Threat Assessment Criteria
Boot Your PC Into Safe Mode
1. For Windows XP, Vista and 7. 2. For Windows 8, 8.1 and 10. Fix registry entries created by malware and PUPs on your PC.
For Windows XP, Vista and 7 systems:
1. Remove all CDs and DVDs, and then Restart your PC from the “Start” menu. 2. Select one of the two options provided below:
– For PCs with a single operating system: Press “F8” repeatedly after the first boot screen shows up during the restart of your computer. In case the Windows logo appears on the screen, you have to repeat the same task again.
– For PCs with multiple operating systems: Тhe arrow keys will help you select the operating system you prefer to start in Safe Mode. Press “F8” just as described for a single operating system.
3. As the “Advanced Boot Options” screen appears, select the Safe Mode option you want using the arrow keys. As you make your selection, press “Enter“.
4. Log on to your computer using your administrator account
While your computer is in Safe Mode, the words “Safe Mode” will appear in all four corners of your screen.
Step 1: Open up the Start Menu.
Step 2: Click on the Power button (for Windows 8 it is the little arrow next to the “Shut Down” button) and whilst holding down “Shift” click on Restart.
Step 3: After reboot, a blue menu with options will appear. From them you should choose Troubleshoot.
Step 4: You will see the Troubleshoot menu. From this menu choose Advanced Options.
Step 5: After the Advanced Options menu appears, click on Startup Settings.
Step 6: From the Startup Settings menu, click on Restart.
Step 7: A menu will appear upon reboot. You can choose any of the three Safe Mode options by pressing its corresponding number and the machine will restart.
Some malicious scripts may modify the registry entries on your computer to change different settings. This is why cleaning your Windows Registry Database is recommended. Since the tutorial on how to do this is a bit long and tampering with registries could damage your computer if not done properly you should refer and follow our instructive article about fixing registry entries, especially if you are unexperienced in that area.
2. Find files created by CyberGod Scarab on your PC
Find files created by CyberGod Scarab
1. For Windows 8, 8.1 and 10. 2. For Windows XP, Vista, and 7.
For Newer Windows Operating Systems
Step 1:
On your keyboard press + R and write explorer.exe in the Run text box and then click on the Ok button.
Step 2:
Click on your PC from the quick access bar. This is usually an icon with a monitor and its name is either “My Computer”, “My PC” or “This PC” or whatever you have named it.
Step 3:
Navigate to the search box in the top-right of your PC’s screen and type “fileextension:” and after which type the file extension. If you are looking for malicious executables, an example may be “fileextension:exe”. After doing that, leave a space and type the file name you believe the malware has created. Here is how it may appear if your file has been found:
N.B. We recommend to wait for the green loading bar in the navination box to fill up in case the PC is looking for the file and hasn’t found it yet.
For Older Windows Operating Systems
In older Windows OS’s the conventional approach should be the effective one:
Step 1:
Click on the Start Menu icon (usually on your bottom-left) and then choose the Search preference.
Step 2:
After the search window appears, choose More Advanced Options from the search assistant box. Another way is by clicking on All Files and Folders.
Step 3:
After that type the name of the file you are looking for and click on the Search button. This might take some time after which results will appear. If you have found the malicious file, you may copy or open its location by right-clicking on it.
Now you should be able to discover any file on Windows as long as it is on your hard drive and is not concealed via special software.
Use SpyHunter to scan for malware and unwanted programs
3. Scan for malware and unwanted programs with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool
Scan your PC and Remove CyberGod Scarab with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool and back up your data
1. Install SpyHunter to scan for CyberGod Scarab and remove them.2. Scan with SpyHunter, Detect and Remove CyberGod Scarab. Back up your data to secure it from malware in the future.
Step 1: Click on the “Download” button to proceed to SpyHunter’s download page.
It is recommended to run a scan before purchasing the full version of the software to make sure that the current version of the malware can be detected by SpyHunter. Click on the corresponding links to check SpyHunter’s EULA, Privacy Policy and Threat Assessment Criteria.
Step 2: Guide yourself by the download instructions provided for each browser.
Step 3: After you have installed SpyHunter, wait for it to update automatically.
Step 1: After the update process has finished, click on the ‘Malware/PC Scan’ tab. A new window will appear. Click on ‘Start Scan’.
Step 2: After SpyHunter has finished scanning your PC for any files of the associated threat and found them, you can try to get them removed automatically and permanently by clicking on the ‘Next’ button.
Step 3: If any threats have been removed, it is highly recommended to restart your PC.
Back up your data to secure it against attacks in the future
IMPORTANT! Before reading the Windows backup instructions, we highly recommend to back up your data with a cloud backup solution and insure your files against any type of loss, even from the most severe threats. We recommend you to read more about it and to download SOS Online Backup.
4. Try to Restore files encrypted by CyberGod Scarab
Try to Restore Files Encrypted by CyberGod Scarab
Ransomware infections and CyberGod Scarab aim to encrypt your files using an encryption algorithm which may be very difficult to decrypt. This is why we have suggested several alternative methods that may help you go around direct decryption and try to restore your files. Bear in mind that these methods may not be 100% effective but may also help you a little or a lot in different situations.
Method 1: Scanning your drive’s sectors by using Data Recovery software. Another method for restoring your files is by trying to bring back your files via data recovery software. Here are some suggestions for preferred data recovery software solutions:
Method 2: Trying Kaspersky and EmsiSoft’s decryptors. If the first method does not work, we suggest trying to use decryptors for other ransomware viruses, in case your virus is a variant of them. The two primary developers of decryptors are Kaspersky and EmsiSoft, links to which we have provided below:
To restore your data in case you have backup set up, it is important to check for Volume Shadow Copies, if ransomware has not deleted them, in Windows using the below software:
Method 4: Finding the decryption key while the cryptovirus sends it over a network via a sniffing tool.
Another way to decrypt the files is by using a Network Sniffer to get the encryption key, while files are encrypted on your system. A Network Sniffer is a program and/or device monitoring data traveling over a network, such as its internet traffic and internet packets. If you have a sniffer set before the attack happened you might get information about the decryption key. See how-to instructions below:
Martin graduated with a degree in Publishing from Sofia University. As a cyber security enthusiast he enjoys writing about the latest threats and mechanisms of intrusion.
Martin graduated with a degree in Publishing from Sofia University. As a cyber security enthusiast he enjoys writing about the latest threats and mechanisms of intrusion.
1. For Windows XP, Vista and 7.
2. For Windows 8, 8.1 and 10.
Fix registry entries created by malware and PUPs on your PC.
1. Install SpyHunter to scan for CyberGod Scarab and remove them.
Back up your data to secure it from malware in the future.
