The TOPHER Crypter virus is among the most dangerous hacking tools of late. It provides the most advanced infiltration options and can completely take over the victim computers leading to further virus infections. In the majority of cases may not even know that their system have been impacted. Read our in-depth guide to find out more about it.
Threat Summary
| Name | Topher Crypter |
| Type | Advanced Malware, Trojan, Ransomware |
| Short Description | The Topher Crypter virus is an advanced malware that can cause a lot of system damage connected to the user’s data. The built-in Trojan capabilities can also overtake control of the compromised machines. |
| Symptoms | In many cases the victims may not experience any symptoms of infection. |
| Distribution Method | The attacks can be caused by software vulnerabilities, interaction with malware emails or sites. |
| Detection Tool |
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User Experience | Join Our Forum to Discuss Topher Crypter. |
TOPHER Crypter Virus – Distribution Methods
Computer hackers have devised a dangerous threat called the TOPHER Crypter virus which is currently being sold on the underground hacker markets. This is a malware that is rated as extremely dangerous by the security community. It is being sold using a subscription package release model which means that the users that wish to use it must pay the criminal developers for access. Right now there are three standard subscription packages: two, four and six month accesss. The hacker operators can also devise a customized version for the price of $50. They note that every crypto currency is accepted as payment mechanism.
When the relevant packages are purchased the hacker operators can use different tactics in order to spread the samples. Usually there are main methods of classification — direct intrusion attempts and indirect payload delivery.
The hackers can attempt to intrude onto the target networks by performing penetration testing campaigns. This is usually done by loading popular exploits against commonly used software in automated frameworks. If a vulnerability is detected the application will automatically abuse it and install the TOPHER Crypter virus samples.
The indirect delivery strategies are much more varied. Usually the malware code is compiled into a single executable file that is then distributed using different mechanisms. One of them involves the coordination of spam email messages. They can be set to one of the these two primary types:
- Hyperlinks — These message attempt to manipulate the users into downloading or executing the malware file from a third-party site. Usually they are disguised as files of user interest.
- Direct File Attachments — Emails of this type use social engineering tricks in order to convince the users into opening up the file attachments that are part of them. The files are usually executable files or password-protected archives. The hacker senders can include the relevant password in the body contents.
Following these two mechanisms criminal users can also make use of two popular delivery tactics that are used in conjunction with the above mentioned strategies. The first one makes use of infected software installers of popular software. The hackers download the legitimate files from the official vendor sites and then modify them to include the malware code. The relevant files are then linked or attached to email messages or distributed using email messages. The criminals can also opt to use fake download portals that appear as legitimate web services or file sharing networks that use P2P techology like BitTorrent.
A similar tactic is the creation of malware documents. They can be of different types (rich text documents, spreadsheets or presentations) that include malware scripts. Such files are typically modeled to appear as legitimate contracts, invoices, letters and notifications of user interest. As soon as they are opened by the victims a notification prompt appears. It asks them to enable the built-in macros (scripts). As soon as this is done the virus is downloaded from a remote location and executed on the target system.
Another TOPHER Crypter virus is the use of browser hijackers that represent malware browser plugins. They are programmed to redirect the users to hacker-controlled sites and can even infiltrate the software repostiories using fake developer credentials and user reviews. Such plugins are usually made for the most popular browsers: Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Opera, Safari and Internet Explorer.
TOPHER Crypter Malware – Malicious Activity
The Topher Crypter virus is devised in order to infect the victim computers on a very deep level. The hackers allow the buying customers to customize certain configuration variables and to toggle the available options on and off. Subscription-based delivery also gives the operators access to a web-based dashboard from where they can see in real-time the impacted hosts and overtake control of them.
The hacker developers describe their creation as the following:
TopherCrypter is Not “just another encrypter” on market. Instead, Topher Crypter is a Real ADVANCED crypter in terms of Crypting Engines and Coding Quality. It is a product of mind-grinding coding work over a period of four months. Topher crypter securely protects and encrypts your private binaries, files, data, etc. If you purchase Topher Crypter, we can ensure you that you will receive a High Quality product. And top notch customer support will also be provided to you whenever you need.
Advanced infiltration tactics include a custom startup modification that modifies the boot settings and several related configuration files. This prevents the victims from entering the recovery menu and is a vital part of the persistent state of execution mechanism. It essentially modifies the system in such a way that prevents manual removal attempts. This state of execution also protects the malware from any user or software interference.
The malware is built on the .NET framework and is compatible with all contemporary versions of the Microsoft Windows operating system. In addition to everything else the main malware code can be changed between attack campaigns making detection very difficult.
The Topher Crypter virus sample is able to institute a stealth security which uses an information gathering component to uncover any anti-virus engines, debugging or sandbox environments. If any of them are found the real-time engines can be bypassed or even deleted. In certain cases the hackers can program the strains to delete themselves if they are unable to bypass the security software.
The virus is capable of hooking up to system processes and acquiring administrative privileges which makes it capable of launching its own processes as well.
During the infection phase the victim remains unaware of the infections. Usually applications that seek out to gain administrative privileges during the firsts tage of infection. At this moment most of the viruses span an user access control (UAC) prompt which is combined with some sort of a social engineering trick to manipulate the users into enabling it. In this particular case however no such prompt is created as the code uses a custom deep injection mechanism that bypasses this option. As a result the users have no way of knowing that they are infected.
Once the infections have complete the controllers have the ability to institute several file actions:
- File Size Changer — The malware has the ability to enlarge the size of individual files in iterations of KB’s or MB’s.
- File Binder — The malware can bind itself to any file of the hacker’s choice.
- Icon Changer — The malware can change the graphical icons and file extensions of any data.
- Encrypter — Designated files, whole folders or partitions can be encrypted using a strong algorithms in a similar way to ransomware viruses.
The encryption engine is one of the most dangerous components of the Topher Crypter virus as it uses a a randomly-based encryption pass generator instead of a generic algorithm. This makes it very difficult to recover the affected data. We remind our readers that the malware engine does have the ability to impact the system in a wide variety of ways. In connection with the encryption phase the Topher Crypter virus can remove the Shadow Volume copies of all discovered data. This makes it very hard to restore the affected data without the use of a professional data recovery software. In addition the virus can interact with the Windows Volume Manager which allows the virus to access removable storage devices and network shares.
The previously mentioned information gathering component is capable of extracting a variety of data that is usually divided into two main groups:
- Anonymous Data — This type of information is related to data that is being used by the hacker operators for statistical purposes — time and date of infection, hardware components and operating system data.
- Personal Data — This type of information is harvested by the engine in accordance with the preprogrammed instructions. This includes the victim’s name, address, telephone, email, location, preferences and passwords.
A network connection is made with the hacker-controlled command and control (C&C) server which allows them to overtake control of the victim hosts using a Trojan module. They can also actively spy on them as well as deliver additional malware. Once all relevant components have complete the hacker controllers can blackmail the victims by spawning messages as application frames.
The virus can receive updates to its code automatically from the hacker servers and the operators can rely on support via forums, chats and personal messages.
Remove TOPHER Crypter Virus and Protect Your PC
Q: How Do I Remove TOPHER Crypter Malware and How Do I Protect Myself In the Future?
A: In order to remove TOPHER Crypter virus, you should first stop the malicious processes of the malware by entering Windows Task Manager and stopping the malicious task by right-clicking on the TOPHER Crypter process and clicking on End Process or End Process tree. This results in the virus stopping to mine. After doing so, you may want to remove the malware preferably by following the automatic or manual removal instructions below, if you have removed malware manually and have the experience. Be advised that security experts strongly recommend to remove the TOPHER Crypter malware automatically by downloading an advanced anti-malware software, that aims to scan for and erase all malware from your system plus protect it against future infections as well.
Martin Beltov
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.
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Preparation before removing Topher Crypter.
Before starting the actual removal process, we recommend that you do the following preparation steps.
- Make sure you have these instructions always open and in front of your eyes.
- Do a backup of all of your files, even if they could be damaged. You should back up your data with a cloud backup solution and insure your files against any type of loss, even from the most severe threats.
- Be patient as this could take a while.
- Scan for Malware
- Fix Registries
- Remove Virus Files
Step 1: Scan for Topher Crypter with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool
Step 2: Clean any registries, created by Topher Crypter on your computer.
The usually targeted registries of Windows machines are the following:
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
You can access them by opening the Windows registry editor and deleting any values, created by Topher Crypter there. This can happen by following the steps underneath:
Tip: To find a virus-created value, you can right-click on it and click "Modify" to see which file it is set to run. If this is the virus file location, remove the value.Step 3: Find virus files created by Topher Crypter on your PC.
1.For Windows 8, 8.1 and 10.
For Newer Windows Operating Systems
1: On your keyboard press + R and write explorer.exe in the Run text box and then click on the Ok button.
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.
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 navigation box to fill up in case the PC is looking for the file and hasn't found it yet.
2.For Windows XP, Vista, and 7.
For Older Windows Operating Systems
In older Windows OS's the conventional approach should be the effective one:
1: Click on the Start Menu icon (usually on your bottom-left) and then choose the Search preference.
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.
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.
Topher Crypter FAQ
What Does Topher Crypter Trojan Do?
The Topher Crypter Trojan is a malicious computer program designed to disrupt, damage, or gain unauthorized access to a computer system.
It can be used to steal sensitive data, gain control over a system, or launch other malicious activities.
Can Trojans Steal Passwords?
Yes, Trojans, like Topher Crypter, can steal passwords. These malicious programs are designed to gain access to a user's computer, spy on victims and steal sensitive information such as banking details and passwords.
Can Topher Crypter Trojan Hide Itself?
Yes, it can. A Trojan can use various techniques to mask itself, including rootkits, encryption, and obfuscation, to hide from security scanners and evade detection.
Can a Trojan be Removed by Factory Reset?
Yes, a Trojan can be removed by factory resetting your device. This is because it will restore the device to its original state, eliminating any malicious software that may have been installed. Bear in mind, that there are more sophisticated Trojans, that leave backdoors and reinfect even after factory reset.
Can Topher Crypter Trojan Infect WiFi?
Yes, it is possible for a Trojan to infect WiFi networks. When a user connects to the infected network, the Trojan can spread to other connected devices and can access sensitive information on the network.
Can Trojans Be Deleted?
Yes, Trojans can be deleted. This is typically done by running a powerful anti-virus or anti-malware program that is designed to detect and remove malicious files. In some cases, manual deletion of the Trojan may also be necessary.
Can Trojans Steal Files?
Yes, Trojans can steal files if they are installed on a computer. This is done by allowing the malware author or user to gain access to the computer and then steal the files stored on it.
Which Anti-Malware Can Remove Trojans?
Anti-malware programs such as SpyHunter are capable of scanning for and removing Trojans from your computer. It is important to keep your anti-malware up to date and regularly scan your system for any malicious software.
Can Trojans Infect USB?
Yes, Trojans can infect USB devices. USB Trojans typically spread through malicious files downloaded from the internet or shared via email, allowing the hacker to gain access to a user's confidential data.
About the Topher Crypter Research
The content we publish on SensorsTechForum.com, this Topher Crypter how-to removal guide included, is the outcome of extensive research, hard work and our team’s devotion to help you remove the specific trojan problem.
How did we conduct the research on Topher Crypter?
Please note that our research is based on an independent investigation. We are in contact with independent security researchers, thanks to which we receive daily updates on the latest malware definitions, including the various types of trojans (backdoor, downloader, infostealer, ransom, etc.)
Furthermore, the research behind the Topher Crypter threat is backed with VirusTotal.
To better understand the threat posed by trojans, please refer to the following articles which provide knowledgeable details.